• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

  • Fitness
  • Workouts
    • Best Shoulder Workouts
    • Best Chest Workouts
    • Best Leg Workouts
    • Best Leg Exercises
    • Best Biceps Exercises
    • Best Kettlebell Exercises
    • Best Back Workouts
    • Best HIIT Workouts
    • Best Triceps Exercises
    • Best Arm Workouts
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Pre-Workout
      • Best BCAAs
      • Best Testosterone Boosters
      • Best Bodybuilding Supplements
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
      • Best Multivitamins
      • Best Collagen Supplement
      • Best Probiotic
      • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Magnesium Supplements
    • Protein
      • Best Protein Powder
      • Best Whey Protein
      • Best Protein Powders for Muscle Gain
      • Best Tasting Protein Powder
      • Best Vegan Protein
      • Best Mass Gainer
      • Best Protein Shakes
      • Best Organic Protein Powder
      • Best Pea Protein Powder
      • Best Protein Bars
    • Strength Equipment
      • Best Home Gym Equipment
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Weightlifting Belts
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Functional Trainers
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Trap Bars
    • Cardio Equipment
      • Best Cardio Machines
      • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Treadmills
      • Best Weighted Vests
      • Concept2 RowErg Review
      • Hydrow Wave Review
      • Best Jump Ropes
  • News
  • Exercise Guides
    • Legs
      • Back Squat
      • Bulgarian Split Squat
      • Goblet Squat
      • Zercher Squat
      • Standing Calf Raise
      • Hack Squat
    • Chest
      • Bench Press
      • Dumbbell Bench Press
      • Close-Grip Bench Press
      • Incline Bench Press
    • Shoulders
      • Overhead Dumbbell Press
      • Lateral Raise
    • Arms
      • Chin-Up
      • Weighted Pull-Up
      • Triceps Pushdown
    • Back
      • Deadlift
      • Trap Bar Deadlift
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Inverted Row
      • Bent-Over Barbell Row
      • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
      • Pendlay Row
Fitness

Research Reveals New Indicators of Overtraining

A new study suggests protein markers may be a dependable indicator of the early stages of overtraining syndrome.

Doug Dupont

Written by Doug Dupont Last updated on Nov 22, 2021

We know more than ever about overtraining syndrome and its effects on the body, but some of the underlying pieces of the puzzle are still missing. A recent study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research took aim at uncovering how overtraining affects the muscles on a molecular level.

In the study, researchers looked at several proteins that are involved in anabolism and catabolism. When I say proteins here, I don’t mean the kind that make up muscle, which is only a part of what proteins do. A protein is essentially a collection of amino acids bonded together. Our genes determine how they form. Because they can be very large molecules, proteins are a major part of what allows for the complexity of life.

The best known of the proteins examined in this study was IGF-1, or insulin-like growth factor 1 (pictured below). IGF-1 is actually a hormone, too. A hormone is a signaling molecule transported by the blood, and many of them are proteins. IGF-1 is well known for its anabolic effects. The term anabolic means it supports the development of muscle tissue.

The lesser known proteins that were looked at in this study were the anabolic proteins called MyoD and myogenin. These two proteins are known as transcription factors, which means they help regulate the expression of genetic material. MyoD and myogenin regulate the creation of muscle tissue. The catabolic protein called MAFbx, which helps with the breakdown of muscle tissue, was studied as well.

Mice were used in this study, since, according to the researchers, they are easier to examine from a whole-muscle interaction perspective. The mice underwent a strenuous workout with about a fifteen percent greater load than normally recommended for building size and strength. They exercised at that level for five days a week for twelve weeks to keep the recovery time limited.

We know many of the features that comprise overtraining, which is what this study was designed to induce. Elevated stress hormones like cortisol and other stress markers like creatine kinase, reduced anabolic hormones like testosterone, increased incidence of illness and injury, reduced performance, and poor mood are all known symptoms of overtraining. The researchers theorized that alterations to IGF-1, MyoD, myogenin, and MAFbx could be added to that list.

Indeed, they were correct. The catabolic protein MAFbx was upregulated, which means its expression increased, by a full twenty percent. Even more dramatically, the anabolic proteins MyoD, myogenin, and IGF-1 were downregulated by 27%, 29%, and 43%, respectively. It may be hard to get an idea of what those numbers really mean, so the researchers also took the more common measurement of muscle cross-sectional area (muscle thickness). The above change in proteins amounted to a seventeen percent reduction in muscle size.

So science now has a new way of determining overtraining status by measuring these proteins. It would probably be a challenge to force yourself to this extreme degree of training, but just be aware that more training is not always better for any athletic goal. Even subtle losses in muscle are the opposite of most peoples’ goals.

References:

1. Rodrigo Souza, et. al., “Resistance Training With Excessive Training Load and Insufficient Recovery Alters Skeletal Muscle Mass-Related Protein Expression,” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000421

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Doug Dupont

About Doug Dupont

Having grown up at the foot of a forest covered mountain in rural Vermont, Doug was active from a very young age. Hiking, running, and climbing were a part of everyday life in the Green Mountains. This culture of exercise led to dabbling in martial arts as a teen, and also getting work in a local powerlifting focused gym. Doug continued to pursue knowledge and training in exercise, becoming a certified personal trainer while still a teenager. Once in college he began his hand at the business side of fitness, taking a management position at a large local gym. During that time he became a founding member of the UVM Brazilian Jiu Jitsu club, and was the first among their competition team. After only a few months he was assisting in coaching, and ran conditioning program for the club.

Out of college Doug set up his own training center. He grew his list of clientele including several professional MMA athletes, eventually going so far as to corner a world title fight. He has continued ­­­to develop his business into today.

View All Articles

Related Posts

Fergus Crawley 5K Run Tips Photo
Fergus Crawley Shares 5 Tips For Running a Better 5K
Actor Chris Hemsworth in gym performing dumbbell row
Chris Hemsworth Diagrams a Killer Upper Body Workout Fit For an Action Star
Hugh Jackman Deadpool 3 Workouts Spring:Winter 2023
Hugh Jackman Returns to Wolverine Condition in Workouts for “Deadpool 3”
Method Man Incline Dumbbell Presses December 2022
Check Out Rapper Method Man Cruising Through 120-Pound Incline Dumbbell Presses for 10 Reps

Primary Sidebar

Latest Articles

New Year’s Fitness Sales (2025)

XWERKS Motion BCAA Review (2025): A Registered Dietitian’s Honest Thoughts

Assault Fitness AssaultBike Pro X Review (2025): Assault’s Best Bike Yet?

13 Best Exercise Bikes for Home Gyms (2025)

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Review (2025): The Key to Post-Workout Recovery?

Latest Reviews

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt Review (2025)

Omre NMN + Resveratrol, Lifeforce Peak NMN, and partiQlar NMN on a red background

Best NMN Supplement: Fountain of Youth in a Bottle? (2025)

The Titan Series Adjustable Bench on a red background

Titan Series Adjustable Bench Review (2025)

A photo of the NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Dumbbells on a red background

NordicTrack Adjustable Dumbbell Review (2025): Are These Value Dumbbells Worth It?

woman lifting barbell

Be the smartest person in your gym

The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I WANT IN!

Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely, high-quality information on exercise, fitness, health, and nutrition. Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers, aficionados, fitness professionals, and business owners. We seek to inform, educate and advocate for this community.

  • Reviews
  • Healthy Eating
  • Workouts
  • Fitness
  • News

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed

© 2025 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About