Some People Carry a Neanderthal Growth Hormone Receptor That Is Linked to Greater Muscle Mass
Learn how small genetic differences derived from interbreeding Neanderthals may equip carriers with an advantage in muscle growth.
Neanderthals, despite being shorter and more stocky than modern humans, were found to be more muscular. A recent study published in Current Biology reveals that this increased muscle mass could be attributed to a slight alteration in the Neanderthal growth hormone receptor. When cultured muscle cells exhibited the Neanderthal receptor, they grew 40 percent larger than normal cells in response to human growth hormone.
Modern humans have inherited this variant from interbreeding with Neanderthals around 47,000 years ago, and it is present in roughly 24 percent of South Asians. The researchers discovered that modern humans with this receptor variant have slightly different jaw shapes, shorter tooth roots, and more muscle mass, although the effect is only around 9.5 ounces.
The study authors noted that the laboratory and population evidence strongly support the connection between the Neanderthal receptor and increased muscle mass in humans.
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