Muscle hypertrophy and its relevance to horses

Abstract

Muscle growth has been researched within human athletes to maximise muscle growth and performance; however, this area has been researched less for the equine athlete. Skeletal muscle growth predominantly happens by hypertrophy – the most common types are either myofibrillar or sarcoplasmic. There are a number of physiological processes involved in muscle hypertrophy, with muscle protein synthesis being one of the main contributors. The differentiation and proliferation of satellite cells also contribute to muscle growth, and the rates of these processes can be increased or decreased by the presence of different molecules. In human and animal studies, it has been found that muscle hypertrophy can be induced by regular training for several weeks, using targeted exercises, working on positive and negative gradients and the length and intensity of a training session.