Before understanding how genetics plays its role in muscle Building, let's see what the basics of genetics are. So, at the core of it, Genetics is the hereditary variation in us. It is related to how traits such as hair color and susceptibility in our body from other diseases would look like.DNA carries it and also determines the structure and function of genes. This different type of DNA in every person determines the uniqueness in every aspect, and muscle building is one of them.

So, how exactly does it affect muscle making? Let's find out.

The Role of Genetics in Muscle Building

The Growth of muscle fibers in our body is related to the genes inherited from our parents. Genetics helps determine the fast-twitch fibers and slow-twitch fibers, which directly affect whether a person is naturally more suited for strength activities or not.

Genetics also accounts for a large portion of differences in lean muscle mass and strength between individuals, with heritability ranging from 50 percent to 80 percent. Some individuals are genetically predisposed to be “hyper-responders” who gain muscle quickly, while others are “low responders” who progress more slowly.

But it can not be blamed entirely to only that. Some Genetic factors depend on this protein called myostatin, which limits muscle growth and testosterone levels, and these two factors are also affected by the ageing of the body and whether a person is doing regular exercise or taking a proper diet. For instance, it is said that starting around the age of 30, testosterone in men will drop at a rate of 1-2% every year. That said, genes that regulate testosterone impact muscle tissue indirectly.

How Can It Be Handled and Taken Care Of

Fitness and nutrition experts can create an exercise model based on these factors

1. Exercise response. 

2. Weight loss tendency

3. Mental and physical potential

4. Injury risks

5. Recovery and more

It can be controlled by taking proper supplementation. Here are some of the areas you can look into 

You can take Preworkout before going to the gym for more intense training sessions, as it contains caffeine, which will help you focus on lifting weights. An intra-workout supplement would be a great choice because the more you train the the more you lose your sweat, and for that, hydration is important, and to make things smoother, you can take a recovery blend to speed up your recovery. And to gain muscle, a high-quality protein is a must, and add a little bit of creatine to it for ATP replenishment and cellular energy for improved strength and performance. 

You cannot change your genetics, but you can definitely change yourself by following these protocols. Ultimately, genetics set the framework, but disciplined workouts, proper diet are the key factors that determine how much muscle a person can realistically build.

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Written by

Amanjeet Singh

Edited by

Joyita Das