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Hypertrophy is the increase of the size of an organ. It should be distinguished from hyperplasia which occurs due to cell division; hypertrophy occurs due to an increase in cell size rather than division. It is most commonly seen in muscle that has been actively stimulated, the most well-known method being exercise. Hypertrophy is only desirable when it occurs in the skeletal muscles. This is most effectively done by undertaking resistance training, though it can also occur during other high anaerobic exercises such as interval training, rowing, cycling and sprinting. For hypertrophy to occur in the skeletal muscles, the muscle must be directly stimulated as discussed above. Also a diet in which there is a caloric surplus and abundant in protein is required in conjunction with regular rest (8-10 hours per night). Though protein is an integral part of attaining muscular hypertrophy, it should not be overdone as it can put the kidneys under increased stress as it has to process more urea. Also you should consult with your physician before undertaking any exercise routine. Hypertrophy can be pathological in many organs; for example in the heart hypertrophy of the left ventricle can be associated with up to a four fold risk of dying over the following 5 years. In skeletal muscle, it is usually helpful and increases strength. Two different types of hypertrophy are common; Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, in which sarcoplasmic fluid in the muscle cell increases rather than the contractile protein, and hence no increase in contactile strength. Myofibrillated Hypertrophy, in which there is an increase in myofibrils, and hence increase in muscular contractile strength. Resistance training typically produces a combination of the two different types of hypertrophy; contraction against 80-90% of the 1RM for lower number of repetitions causes myofibrillated hypertrophy to dominate (as in powerlifters, olympic lifters and strength athletes), while several repetitions against a sub-maximal load facilitates mainly sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (professional bodybuilders and endurance athletes). Data originally published on Wikipedia |