Liam Hoekstra is your typical 19 month old. He likes to eat. He eats all the time. A full meal every hour. Liam has myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy and he's strong as an ox.
Amazing since the toddler has overcome medical odds since birth.
Liam was born four weeks early to a troubled mother who put him up for adoption. His beginnings were filled with a host of medical problems; a small hole in his heart, eczema, enlarged kidneys, was lactose intolerant and had severe stomach reflux that made him vomit several times each day. Luck was with him though when he was adopted by by the Hoekstras. Dad Neil's a physician assistant and mom Dana is devoted to her little Hulk.
Liam healed quickly. The only problem for his parents was how very hungry he was and how he didn't gain weight quickly. His doctor found an answer why. Myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy of his leg, calf and arm muscles as well as increased strength. Simply put Liam is all muscle and very little body fat. He weighs a mere 22 pounds. Thankfully the condition doesn't affect the heart and has no known negative side effects.
Myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy was first discovered in beef cattle and mice in the late 1990s. In 2000 a German bay was diagnosed with it. The condition is so rare that doctors have no idea how many people have it.
A genetic mutation prevents some people from producing myostatin.
Without body fat normal a child's growth can be stunted and the central nervous system can be impaired Infants need fat to learn.
"He's hungry for a full meal about every hour because of his rapid metabolism," Dana Hoekstra said. "He's already eating me out of house and home."
The hardest part of parenting their little muscle man is getting enough protein into him. Liam eats six full size meals a day and still struggles to gain weight.
"Liam's never had any body fat," his mother said. "The only fat he has is in his cheeks."
At nineteen months old he can do inverted sit ups. His little belly is a six pack that men would envy.
"When you've got that kind of power and that kind of strength, the world is open to you,"Dr. Larson said. "He's agile because he's so strong -- when you've got that incredible power as a kid you're going to try a lot more things."
Liam's dad just hopes someday he plays for the his beloved University of Michigan football team.
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