Why Gorillas, Despite Being Vegetarian and Inactive, Maintain Muscles Humans Struggle Without Exercise
Origin and Distinctive Evolution:
Gorillas, like humans, share a common ancestry with early apes, but natural selection has steered their paths differently.
Size and Power:
Gorillas, the largest primates, display remarkable size. Wild adult males average over 1.7 meters tall and 300 kilograms in weight. Their natural habitat, dense rainforests, requires constant movement and climbing, facilitating the development and maintenance of muscular strength.
Muscle Composition and Efficiency:
Gorillas possess a higher proportion of slow-twitch muscle fibers (Type I) compared to humans. These fibers allow for sustained force without depleting energy excessively. In contrast, humans have a higher percentage of fast-twitch fibers (Type II), leading to fatigue and muscle loss without regular exercise.
Dietary Differences:
Despite being commonly perceived as vegetarians, gorillas are omnivorous. While their diet primarily comprises plants, they also consume insects, ants, and termites, which provide some protein. Additionally, their long and specialized digestive system enables them to extract more nutrients from their food, including plant-based proteins.
Exceptional Muscle Density:
Gorillas have a higher muscle density than humans, meaning they pack more muscle fibers within a given muscle volume. This enables them to generate more force compared to humans of similar muscle size. Their foraging and climbing activities in the forest provide continuous resistance, maintaining muscular strength without dedicated exercise.
Digestive Advantage:
Unlike humans, gorillas can digest cellulose, a fiber found in plants. The bacteria in their gut ferment cellulose, releasing proteins that contribute to muscle development.
Genetic Limitations for Humans:
Human muscle growth is not only influenced by exercise but also by myostatin, a protein in our bodies that inhibits muscle growth. To achieve greater muscle mass, humans must overcome these genetic constraints through consistent training.
Comparison with Other Herbivores:
Several herbivores in nature, such as elephants and rhinoceroses, surpass humans in muscle mass and circumference. Human musculature, despite extensive training, cannot rival these massive mammals.
Human Physiological Differences:
The human and gorilla bodies respond differently to physical activity. Gorillas maintain a higher muscle-to-body weight ratio, facilitating muscle retention even without strenuous exercise. Humans, on the other hand, have evolved for sedentary lifestyles and require targeted training and protein-rich diets to maintain or enhance muscle mass.
Conclusion:
Gorillas' unique combination of muscle fiber composition, omnivorous diet, exceptional digestive system, muscle density, and constant movement contributes to their impressive musculature, even without dedicated exercise. Humans, with different physiological demands and lower activity levels, must exert much greater effort through exercise and nutrition to achieve and maintain significant muscle mass.