Research
Hormonal
mTORC1 is the central integrator of anabolic signals from both resistance exercise and dietary protein, mediating muscle protein synthesis and hypertrophy.
Understanding mTORC1 is important for researchers but has limited direct practical application for the average person. Focus on the external drivers: lift weights and eat enough protein.
StrongSupportsVERY_HIGH confidence
mTOR integrates signals from these external factors and is divided into two main complexes: mTORC1 (rapamycin sensitive) and mTORC2 (rapamycin insensitive). While both complexes are present in skeletal muscle, mTORC1 is the primary mediator of hypertrophy due to its central role in initiating protein translation and stimulating MPS.
Why this rating
Based on extensive mechanistic studies including pharmacological inhibition (rapamycin) showing blunted MPS.
Source
Tension to Translation: External to Internal Processes in Muscle Hypertrophy
Dominique Greyvenstein et al. · Physiology · 2025
DOI 10.1152/physiol.00034.2025
narrative_review
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Resistance exercise training (RET) volume is the primary driver of skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with higher weekly volumes yielding greater muscle growth up to a specific threshold.Good
- Dietary protein intake supports but does not independently drive skeletal muscle hypertrophy; its primary role is to amplify the anabolic response to resistance exercise.Good
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