Muscle Growth, Protein Synthesis, Amino Acids, mTORC1                               

In 1878 German physiologist Wilhelm Kühne coined the word enzyme.  Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes.  Enzymes are selective and speed up only a few reactions from many possibilities.  The enzymes in a cell determine which metabolic pathways occur.

The mTORC1 enzyme is activated as a result of resistance training and is required for muscular growth and increased strength; mTORC1 does this by controlling protein synthesis.   Studies often use this protein complex when examining muscular changes and strength improvements as an occurrence resulting from a prescribed protocol.  It can be used scientifically as a marker in almost every animal; from rodents to humans, it tends to be the best predictor of muscular hypertrophy.

mTORC1 is turned on during recovery from resistive exercise.  From 30 minutes to 6 hours activation spikes and oscillates; activity continues for a full 24 hours or more.  Many coaches and athletes knowing that protein synthesis is elevated as a result of strength training, supplement protein to attain high amino acids in the blood at all times.

The Pendulum Rack System

The issue is this:

If amino acids are sustained in the blood for too long mTORC1 and subsequently protein synthesis is shut off; mTORC1 has its own self-regulating mechanism.

High amino acids and sleep deprivation:

The levels of proteins within cells are determined not only by rates of synthesis, but also by rates of degradation.  It is hypothesized that sleep deprivation disrupts the positive effects of protein synthesis as the system cannot maintain the appropriate metabolic balance.  In other words sleep loss promotes muscle loss.

The best advice:

A balanced diet and plenty of sleep to Get Strong.