Research

Hormonal

Resistance exercise and protein consumption synergistically stimulate muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and net protein balance (NPB) to a greater extent than either intervention alone.

To build muscle, you must combine resistance exercise with protein intake. Exercise alone stimulates muscle protein synthesis, but without dietary protein, your net protein balance remains negative, preventing growth.

StrongSupportsVERY_HIGH confidence
When combined, resistance exercise and feeding synergistically interact to result in NPB being greater than with feeding alone.
Stuart M. Phillips et al. · Journal of the American College of Nutrition · 2005

Why this rating

This is a well-established consensus mechanism cited extensively in the introduction with multiple references.

Source

Dietary Protein to Support Anabolism with Resistance Exercise in Young Men

Stuart M. Phillips et al. · Journal of the American College of Nutrition · 2005

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