No, but it will likely help, especially in resistance-trained individuals. Although an energy surplus has been shown to provide an important anabolic effect independent of resistance exercise,[1][2] and combining an energy surplus with resistance training seems to enhance muscle gain,[3] an energy surplus is not required to gain muscle, as progressive resistance exercise is ultimately the primary stimulus for muscle gain.
Muscle gain has been shown to occur when resistance exercise is performed in conjunction with a hypocaloric diet.[4][5][6] However, the participants in these studies were untrained and had overweight or obesity. Notwithstanding that caveat, it is notable that muscle gain still occurred in the face of severe energy restriction. One study had the participants consume a liquid formula diet providing about 800 kcal per day (80 grams of protein, 97 grams of carbohydrate, and 10 grams of fat) for 90 days,[4] while a separate 4-week study featured a 40% reduction in energy intake from baseline.[6]
The possibility of achieving significant muscle gain while consuming a hypocaloric diet seems to be diminished in lean, resistance-trained individuals,[7][3] but gains are still possible. While not a widespread phenomenon, there have been a few studies in resistance-trained individuals that reported significant muscle gain in combination with a significant reduction in fat mass.[8] Notably, a central theme among these studies was the consumption of a high-protein diet (2.2-3.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day).
One small study provides some insight into the difficulty of building muscle while consuming a hypocaloric diet as a resistance-trained individual. Elite athletes followed a 4-day-per-week resistance exercise program while consuming a diet (containing 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day) that achieved a weekly body weight loss of either 0.7% (SLOW) or 1.4% (FAST).[9] The participants in each group lost a similar amount of total body weight (−5.5% vs. − 5.6%; FAST achieved this feat more quickly than SLOW, with a range from 4-12 weeks), but SLOW increased lean body mass (+2.1%), whereas there was no change in FAST.
Compared to the catabolic environment promoted by a hypocaloric diet, a eucaloric (weight-maintaining) diet is able to support processes involved in muscle protein synthesis and anabolic signaling and tends to increase fat-free mass when combined with resistance exercise, albeit to a relatively modest extent.[3]
Individuals interested in maximizing muscle gain are advised to consume a hypercaloric diet. A eucaloric diet can also promote a sufficiently anabolic environment for muscle gain, but the magnitude of muscle gain seems to be relatively limited compared to that of a hypercaloric diet. Lastly, while muscle gain can occur with a hypocaloric diet, this effect is mostly limited to untrained individuals with overweight or obesity. As such, resistance-trained individuals who are relatively lean should minimize the amount of time they spend consuming a hypocaloric diet if they’re interested in maximizing muscle gain.
References
- ^Forbes GB, Brown MR, Welle SL, Lipinski BADeliberate overfeeding in women and men: energy cost and composition of the weight gain.Br J Nutr.(1986-Jul)
- ^Bray GA, Smith SR, de Jonge L, Xie H, Rood J, Martin CK, Most M, Brock C, Mancuso S, Redman LMEffect of dietary protein content on weight gain, energy expenditure, and body composition during overeating: a randomized controlled trialJAMA.(2012 Jan 4)
- ^Aragon and SchoenfeldMagnitude and composition of the energy surplus for maximizing muscle hypertrophy: implications for bodybuilding and physique athletesStrength and Conditioning Journal.(2020-10)
- ^Donnelly JE, Sharp T, Houmard J, Carlson MG, Hill JO, Whatley JE, Israel RGMuscle hypertrophy with large-scale weight loss and resistance training.Am J Clin Nutr.(1993-Oct)
- ^Nindl BC, Harman EA, Marx JO, Gotshalk LA, Frykman PN, Lammi E, Palmer C, Kraemer WJRegional body composition changes in women after 6 months of periodized physical training.J Appl Physiol (1985).(2000-Jun)
- ^Longland TM, Oikawa SY, Mitchell CJ, Devries MC, Phillips SMHigher compared with lower dietary protein during an energy deficit combined with intense exercise promotes greater lean mass gain and fat mass loss: a randomized trialAm J Clin Nutr.(2016 Mar)
- ^Slater GJ, Dieter BP, Marsh DJ, Helms ER, Shaw G, Iraki JIs an Energy Surplus Required to Maximize Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy Associated With Resistance Training.Front Nutr.(2019)
- ^Barakat et alBody Recomposition: Can Trained Individuals Build Muscle and Lose Fat at the Same TimeStrength and Conditioning Journal.(2020-10)
- ^Garthe I, Raastad T, Refsnes PE, Koivisto A, Sundgot-Borgen JEffect of two different weight-loss rates on body composition and strength and power-related performance in elite athletesInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab.(2011 Apr)