Biology
Cellular Mechanisms of Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy and Atrophy
Quick fact
The loss of muscle mass during just 2-3 weeks of bed rest can be as high as 10-15% in elderly individuals, largely due to the activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome protein degradation pathway.
Why this is interesting
You’ve probably heard that lifting weights builds muscle and that bed rest can cause muscle to shrink. But have you ever wondered what's actually happening inside your muscle cells that makes them grow bigger or waste away?