Muscle memory theory: Implications for health, athletic performance and sports integrity

Introduction Maintaining optimal levels of skeletal muscle mass (and strength) is a cornerstone for both health and performance not only because of its widely known role in functions such as locomotion, but also as a result of less popular effects, such as its role in metabolism (Severinsen & Pedersen, 2020). For this reason, strategies aimed at enhancing or preserving skeletal muscle throughout its lifespan should be a priority, and efforts are needed to fully understand the physiological mechanisms involved in skeletal muscle mass regulation.