What factor does NOT contribute to inducing muscle hypertrophy?

Muscle hypertrophy, the increase in muscle size, is primarily influenced by factors that promote muscle growth. Among these, progressive overload, caloric surplus, and resistance training are all crucial components.

Progressive overload involves gradually increasing the weight, frequency, or number of repetitions in resistance training to challenge the muscles further, which stimulates growth. A caloric surplus, where you consume more calories than you expend, provides the necessary energy and nutrients for muscle repair and growth, supporting the hypertrophy process. Resistance training is essential as it directly targets the muscle fibers, stimulating them to grow in response to the stress created by lifting weights.

In contrast, caloric restriction, which involves consuming fewer calories than the body needs, does not support hypertrophy. Instead, it can lead to muscle loss or stunted muscle growth due to a lack of available nutrients required for recovery and building new muscle tissue. Thus, caloric restriction is not conducive to inducing muscle hypertrophy, making it the correct answer.