Mixed
Nutritional supplementation can attenuate quadriceps muscle atrophy and promote hypertrophy following ACL injury and reconstruction through three primary mechanisms: direct stimulation of muscle protein synthesis, indirect enhancement of training capacity, and direct effects on satellite cell proliferation.
If you have had ACL surgery, do not rely on exercise alone to rebuild your thigh muscle. Incorporate nutritional strategies that support muscle protein synthesis (like adequate protein intake) and potentially supplements like creatine or caffeine (if appropriate for your rehab phase) to help your muscles grow and recover more effectively than exercise alone.
There are three main mechanisms by which nutritional supplementation may support muscle hypertrophy: (1) by exerting a direct effect on muscle protein synthesis; (2) indirectly, by increasing the individual’s ability to work harder at an appropriate phase of rehabilitation... (3) Finally, by supplementation possibly having a direct effect on satellite cell proliferation and differentiation.
Why this rating
The paper is a narrative review proposing mechanisms; it cites evidence but does not present new primary clinical trial data for all supplements.
Source
Nutritional Interventions to Attenuate Quadriceps Muscle Deficits following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury and Reconstruction
Miriam Smith et al. · Sports Medicine · 2025
DOI 10.1007/s40279-025-02174-w
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- Low energy availability (energy deficit) following ACL injury can impair skeletal muscle hypertrophy and recovery, as the body may not have sufficient energy to support both healing and muscle growth.Moderate
- Creatine supplementation may enhance muscle hypertrophy following ACL injury by increasing intramuscular phosphocreatine, thereby improving high-intensity exercise capacity, and potentially stimulating mTOR and satellite cell proliferation.Moderate
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