How come you don’t gain muscle even when working out if you have a calorie or protein deficit. Maybe my understanding is an oversimplication but I thought muscle growth was from repairing tiny tears you get from working out. If these tears still occur why does growth not occur? Does it occur? Does it just happen but less efficiently?
In: Biology
If you’re protein deficient, you aren’t taking in the raw materials – amino acids, nutrients – necessary to build muscle. Your body can’t do much with fats besides burn them and carbs besides burn them or convert them to fat.
If you’re in a calorie deficit, the body has a very strong preference for not adding muscle because it only makes the problem worse, in evolutionary terms. In most cases this will be extremely slow if it happens at all. Inadequate food slows down recovery from everything.
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