How to Build and Maintain Muscle for Metabolic Health and Longevity
Feb 26, 2024
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Discover the importance of muscle mass for metabolic health and longevity. Learn about the benefits of strength training and protein intake in building skeletal muscle. Explore the impact of muscle on insulin levels, glucose disposal, and overall well-being.
Muscle mass is crucial for metabolic health and longevity, requiring proper protein intake and strength training.
Skeletal muscle functions as an amino acid reservoir, supporting healing and immunity during illness.
Skeletal muscle acts as an endocrine organ, producing myokines that influence various bodily functions beyond mechanical roles.
Deep dives
Importance of Skeletal Muscle for Metabolic Health
Skeletal muscle serves as a vital component of metabolic health, playing a crucial role in glucose and insulin regulation. Skeletal muscle is the primary site for glucose disposal, emphasizing its significance in managing blood sugar levels. Additionally, it acts as a site for fatty acid oxidation, aiding in burning fat and maintaining overall metabolic function.
Muscle as an Amino Acid Reservoir and Survival Factor
Skeletal muscle functions as an amino acid reservoir, essential for healing and survival during catabolic states like illness. A healthy skeletal muscle mass enhances survivability against various illnesses due to its role in amino acid availability. Skeletal muscle's impact on protein turnover and amino acid provision underlines its critical function in supporting overall health and immunity.
Skeletal Muscle as an Endocrine Organ
Skeletal muscle acts as an endocrine organ, producing myokines that influence various bodily functions and systems. These myokines play a role in bone health, liver function, adipose tissue metabolism, brain function, and inflammation regulation. By secreting myokines, skeletal muscle contributes significantly to overall health beyond its mechanical functions.
The Link Between Muscle Training and Metabolic Biomarkers
Strength training and exercise show profound effects on improving metabolic biomarkers such as fasting insulin levels, blood glucose levels, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol. Through sustained muscle training, skeletal muscle can become sensitized to glucose, enhancing its disposal capacity and mitigating insulin resistance. These improvements highlight the central role of muscle activity in optimizing metabolic health.
Impact of Strength Training on Aging and Disease Prevention
Strength training, particularly as individuals age, plays a pivotal role in preventing muscle loss, maintaining bone health, and promoting longevity. Regular strength training helps combat age-related muscle decline, reduces the risk of osteoporosis, improves cognitive function, enhances immune response, and supports overall physical and mental well-being. Engaging in strength training routines regularly can significantly contribute to a healthier and more active aging process.
Muscle mass is essential for maintaining a healthy weight, but it is also a key factor in metabolic health, reducing the risk of chronic disease, and in improving our healthspan and longevity. While muscle requires consuming the right amount of protein for your body, weight-bearing exercises, as a part of strength training routine, are also an important ingredient for building skeletal muscle.
In today’s episode, I talk with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, Dr. Sara Gottfried, and Dr. Todd LePine about the many benefits of muscle and why strength training is non-negotiable.
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