Research
Energy balance
Gains in muscle mass can be achieved under hypocaloric conditions.
While muscle gain is possible in a deficit, a surplus is recommended for optimal results.
StrongQualifiesmedium confidence
Although gains in muscle mass can be achieved when resistance training is performed under hypocaloric conditions.
Why this rating
The claim is based on a review of existing research.
Source
Magnitude and Composition of the Energy Surplus for Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: Implications for Bodybuilding and Physique Athletes
Alan A. Aragon et al. · Strength and conditioning journal · 2020
DOI 10.1519/ssc.0000000000000539
reviewCited 12×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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