Myostatin

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Myostatin is a protein that inhibits muscle growth.

It's also known as growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF-8).

Myostatin is produced and released by myocytes, which are muscle cells. It's a member of the TGF beta protein family.

Myostatin's role is to make sure that muscles do not grow too big. Abnormally high levels of myostatin can cause the loss of muscle mass.

Myostatin decreases with aerobic and resistance exercise. You should burn at least 1,200 calories each week to see real declines in your myostatin levels.

Myostatin has become a hot topic among athletes and bodybuilders, who claim that inhibiting it can boost muscle growth. However, myostatin inhibitors are listed under Class S4 of WADA's Prohibited List 2019.

Both aerobic exercise and strength training (resistance exercise) attenuate myostatin expression, and myostatin inactivation potentiates the beneficial effects of endurance exercise on metabolism.