Kevin Shimkus, B.S.In muscle research, we tend to pay a great deal of attention to a particular signaling protein called mTOR, a key regulatory protein that signals for cell growth through the creation of new proteins. Consider protein building similar to a race car. The larger the engine, the greater potential for speed. Similarly, the more mTOR protein present in any given cell, the greater potential for more protein construction. And just like the gas pedal fuels the engine, mTOR is a signali...

Chang Woock Lee, B.A.          Do you remember Popeye the Sailor, the cartoon and animation character with massive forearms and a smoking pipe in his mouth? He usually shows a calm and gentle demeanor, but when necessary, especially to protect Olive Oyl, the love of his life, from his archrival Bluto, he suddenly turns into a hyperactive action hero with superhuman strength by eating his magic food, a can of spinach.      ...

Vincent Chen, B.S When talking about resistance exercise, some people believe that women respond less than men in terms of muscle mass and strength gain, while others think that it may make women look bulky. Many women therefore tend to avoid doing resistance exercise. However, the benefits outweigh the possible drawback of bulkier appearance. Physical inactivity-induced muscle loss may reduce an individual's ability to resist impact and lower the basal metabolic rate (BMR) to an unheal...

Rachel Botchlett, M.S.Skeletal muscle is a highly specialized tissue that is responsible for voluntary motion and plays a significant role in glucose metabolism and maintaining postural support. The loss of skeletal muscle, defined as atrophy, is characterized by a marked reduction in muscle protein synthesis coupled with an increase in protein degradation and can lead to a loss of contractile force. Muscular atrophy can be caused by several health issues, including starvation, aging, and muscul...

Andrew Jagim, Ph.D, CSCSIt makes sense right? It’s the day after a tough workout, you’re sore, it hurts to move but you have to move because you have another session with your trainer in two hours. So, what do you do? You pop some non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) to take the edge off and get back out there for round 2! The question is: Is this doing more damage than good? It seems as though there has always been some controversy regarding the administration of NSAIDs. Are t...

Brad S. Lambert, Ph.D, CSCCA-SCCCHas there ever been a time when you decided to begin an exercise program or turn your current exercise program up a notch with an increase in workout time or intensity? Also, have you ever experienced prolonged muscle soreness days after doing so? If so, you have probably experienced delayed onset muscle soreness. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a phenomenon that often arises at the beginning of a new exercise training regimen or if the int...

 Jason Boyle, Ph.DOur muscles are controlled by “motor units”, which each consist of a neuron, and the muscle fiber(s) it activates or “innervates”. The muscle that responds is termed an “effector”. Brain mapping studies have shown that a disproportionate area of the motor cortex governs certain effectors of the body. For example, your fingers, lips, and tongue are highly innervated organs that can execute complex movement patterns, but your toes are not ...

David Ferguson, Ph.D RCEP  I am always amazed at the flavor of the moment products in health and fitness. I am sure we are all familiar with the shake weight, six minute abs, and Tae Bo. Truth is some of these infomercial products do offer a health benefit while others do little for you. A discussion of all the products out there aimed to improve health, reduce fat, and increase muscle would take several books to document and describe all the products. In this ...

David Ferguson, Ph.D, RCEP   We have all heard the late night talk show hosts joke about an athlete’s inability to retire. In fact, there seems to be a consensus that once an athlete reaches a certain age, he should retire from the sport. One such example comes to mind; when I was sitting in an airport restaurant which had a football game on the television, the gentleman sitting next to me made the comment, “Brett Favre has been playing as long as I have been alive, he shou...