MUSCLE DNA CHANGES WHEN WE GET STRONG, BOOSTING EFFECTS OF FUTURE WORKOUTS
By: Dana Dovey
http://www.newsweek.com/muscle-dna-remembers-growing-steroids-athletes-doping-795643
"These genes remain untagged even when we lose muscle again, but this untagging helps 'switch' the gene on to a greater extent and is associated with greater muscle growth in response to exercise in later life—demonstrating an epigenetic memory of earlier life muscle growth!" explained senior author Adam Sharples of the Cell and Molecular Muscle Physiology at Keele University in a statement.
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For a mtf on HRT the effect would be similar to a CIS female who had been taking anabolic steroids for decades since she was 12 years old. So, mtf transsexuals do maintain a competitive advantage in sporting events no matter how long their testosterone has been suppressed. This would be particularly true for those that trained prior to HRT.
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Hi Deborah, at first the article sounded like it was only a benefit of those that used steroids, but it seems that isn't the case. This is great. Training for a 1/2 now.
I think the effect on aerobic dominated sports where muscular strength is secondary to aerobic capacity would be lesser. We still have to deal with reductions in red blood cell content.
If this research leads to steroid users being banned long term or for life then sports authorities would likely also re-examine their decisions on transsexual participation in sports.
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That seems to be a pretty big conclusion to jump to from the result of a single study especially when the study itself isn't about steroids or transgender individuals. One of the coauthors merely suggested that this may factor into sports bans in the future, they never said anything without qualifiers. The team even said on the record more research is needed before there should be any real world applications of this.
My conclusion that this epigenetic effect pertains to transgender individuals on HRT is also based on my personal experience in beginning powerlifting last year after over two years on HRT. Either the effect is real or I am a genetic freak whose freakiness did not appear until after HRT.
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Yes it's real and has little to do with gender and everything to do with muscle tissue. Being trained up allows re-training to happen faster. I learned of this a decade ago, however couldn't cite a particular study.
For my part I've done 99.6% endurance workouts, I always found strength training cost me too much recovery time.