The True Power of Muscle - Your Secret Weapon for Wellness
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Time to read: 8 min
Lately it seems like protein is the major trend in the wellness world, with countless WIEIAD posts showing people aiming to consume well over 100g protein per day in the name of their muscle health. But why exactly is muscle so important?
You might think of muscle simply as our source of strength, the reason we’re able to do a workout, or pick up heavy items. But in reality, muscle is so much more than just strength—it plays a key role in our overall health, metabolism, longevity, and much more.
For some of us, the topic of muscle may seem best left to bodybuilders or fitness enthusiasts, but maintaining and building muscle is something every one of us should care about, regardless of age or fitness level. Let's explore the benefits of having healthy muscle mass, why it becomes more challenging to maintain muscle as we age, and what we can do to preserve and build muscle as we get older.
Why Muscle Matters More Than You Think
1. Your Metabolic Furnace
Muscle is metabolically active, meaning it requires more energy (calories) to maintain than fat. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body burns at rest (your basal metabolic rate), which helps with weight management and fat loss.
2. Your Body's Glucose Sponge
Muscle acts as the body's "glucose sponge," helping to regulate blood sugar by using large amounts of glucose, particularly during and after exercise. By increasing muscle mass, the body becomes more efficient at utilizing glucose, which reduces the need for excess insulin production and enhances insulin sensitivity. This improved glucose management helps support better blood sugar control and overall metabolic health.
3. Mental Health
Exercise that builds muscle can also release endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers and mood elevators. There’s also evidence that maintaining muscle mass may help preserve cognitive function as you age, reducing the risk of age-related cognitive decline.
4. Hormone Balance
Muscle plays a significant role in balancing hormones in both women and men by regulating stress hormones like cortisol, supporting testosterone and estrogen levels, and promoting healthy thyroid function. This positive effect on hormones will help improve sleep, mood, metabolism, and overall health.
5. Increased Longevity
Research shows that maintaining muscle mass as you age is strongly linked to increased longevity and lower risk of chronic diseases. Muscle strength is an indicator of how well your body is functioning overall—the stronger your muscles, the better your health and quality of life, especially as you age.
6. Stronger Bones
Strong muscles support strong bones. When you do resistance training, your muscles pull on your bones, which signals them to strengthen. This is especially important as you age.
Protein intake and strength training alone may not be enough to increase muscle synthesis after 30
The Challenge of Maintaining Muscle After The Age of 30
Once you reach 30, you'll begin to experience a gradual decline in muscle mass. It’s estimated that the average adult loses around 3-5% of their muscle mass every decade after 30. By the time you reach 50, this decline tends to accelerate leading to a condition called sarcopenia, unless you take action to slow or reverse the process.
So, what’s going on in your body that makes muscle harder to maintain as you age?
Hormonal Changes
One of the main reasons we lose muscle as we age is due to a decline in hormones that support muscle growth, such as testosterone, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). These hormones play a vital role in muscle repair and growth, so when their levels drop, it becomes harder to build and maintain muscle.
Decreased Protein Synthesis
As you age, your body’s ability to build muscle becomes less efficient, so even with adequate protein and exercise, your muscles may not respond as they once did. This is known as anabolic resistance. As a result, diet and exercise alone may not fully counteract age-related declines in muscle synthesis. But there are ways to overcome this limitation—read on to learn how to tackle anabolic resistance and support muscle health as you age.
Reduced Physical Activity
Many people become less active as they get older, whether due to a busy life, lack of motivation, pain, or injury. This decrease in physical activity contributes to muscle loss, as muscles need regular use and stimulation to stay strong. Without adequate movement, your body breaks down muscle tissue to conserve energy, leading to further declines in muscle mass.
Mitochondrial Decline
Mitochondria are the energy powerhouses of your cells, responsible for producing the energy your muscles need to function. As you age, mitochondrial efficiency declines, reducing your muscles’ ability to recover and grow after exercise. This can lead to muscle fatigue and a slower rate of muscle repair, making it harder to maintain and build muscle over time.
Impaired Muscle Recovery
Post-exercise, muscle takes longer to recover as we age due to a decline in the function of satellite cells, responsible for repairing and regenerating muscle fibers. As recovery slows, so does the ability to rebuild muscle tissue after workouts or periods of muscle breakdown, leading to gradual muscle loss over time.
How to Maintain Muscle Mass
Diet + Lifestyle
- Increase Protein
- Strength Training
- Stay Active
- Rest & Recover
- Manage Stress
Supplements
- Creatine
- HMB
- Vitamin D
- L-Glutamine
- Protein Powder
How to Combat Age-Related Muscle Loss
Although the decline in muscle mass with age is inevitable, there are many ways to slow it down or even reverse it. With the right combination of diet, exercise, and supplements, you can maintain your muscle strength and enjoy the many benefits of staying strong and active as you age.
Prioritize Protein
Protein is the building block of muscle, and as you age, your body needs more of it to maintain and build muscle tissue. To counter anabolic resistance, it’s essential to consume enough high-quality protein throughout the day.
How much protein?
Aim for 1.5 g protein/kg body weight per day to maintain muscle mass, and up to 2.2 g protein/kg body weight to build muscle. For example, if you weigh 70 kg (154 lbs), you should consume 105-154 grams of protein daily.
Incorporate Strength Training
One of the most effective ways to combat age-related muscle loss is through regular resistance training (also known as strength training). Lifting weights, using resistance bands, or doing bodyweight exercises stimulates your muscles to grow and strengthens them over time.
How often?
Aim for at least 2-3 strength training sessions per week, targeting all the major muscle groups (legs, back, chest, arms, and core). These include compound movements that engage multiple muscle groups, like squats, deadlifts, push ups, rows and lunges.
Don’t worry about starting with heavy weights—what matters is progressively challenging your muscles over time by gradually increasing the resistance or intensity of your workouts (known as progressive overload).
Stay Active Throughout Day
In addition to dedicated strength training sessions, it’s important to stay active throughout the day. Prolonged periods of sitting or inactivity can accelerate muscle loss, so make an effort to incorporate movement into your daily routine.
Go for walks or take the stairs whenever possible
Do stretching or mobility exercises to maintain flexibility and balance
Incorporate low-impact cardio, like swimming or cycling, to boost endurance and support overall fitness
Rest & Recover
Adequate sleep and rest are essential for muscle repair and growth. Rest days are crucial for allowing your muscles to recover, preventing injury, replenishing energy, and maintaining mental health. Skipping rest can lead to overtraining, burnout, and hinder your overall progress.
Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to give your muscles time to repair and grow
Incorporate rest days into your exercise routine to avoid overtraining and give your muscles time to recover
Focus on Hydration
Electrolytes and proper hydration are vital for muscle function. Sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium are electrolytes that regulate nerve signals and muscle contractions, preventing cramps and fatigue. Proper hydration of the body helps with nutrient delivery, waste removal, and maintaining muscle cell volume. Inadequate hydration can impair recovery, reduce endurance, and increase injury risk. Learn more about electrolytes and hydration here.
Supportive Supplements
While diet and exercise are essential, they may not fully counteract age-related declines in muscle synthesis due to physiological changes in the body.
As anabolic resistance increases with age, the ability of protein and exercise to build muscle diminishes. Hormonal declines—such as lower testosterone, growth hormone, and IGF-1—further hinder muscle growth, even with regular strength training and adequate protein intake.
If you're serious about maintaining your muscle health, consider incorporating these supplements to maximize your efforts and counter these age-related barriers.
Creatine
One of the most researched naturally-occurring compounds for muscle development, creatine helps increase ATP, the primary energy source for muscle contractions. This allows for more intense and prolonged exercise, particularly during short bursts of high-intensity activity like weightlifting or sprinting. Additionally, it supports faster recovery, reduces muscle fatigue, and helps preserve muscle mass during injury or inactivity.
Creatine may also help to combat age-related hormonal changes that affect muscle synthesis by increasing insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and growth hormone.
HMB
HMB (β-Hydroxy β-methylbutyrate) is a naturally-occurring metabolite of the essential BCAA, leucine, which has been extensively studied for its ability to increase muscle mass and strength. It works by enhancing muscle protein synthesis, reducing muscle breakdown, and accelerating recovery. It helps preserve muscle mass during periods of intense training, caloric deficits, or inactivity/injury.
Pro tip: HMB combined with creatine is more effective than using either alone for increasing muscle mass, strength, endurance, and recovery. You can find this game-changing duo in our functional superfood blend, Move Juice.
L-Glutamine
This amino acid is essential for muscle synthesis and recovery, especially during intense training. It transports nitrogen to support muscle repair and growth, provides energy for muscle cells, and reduces muscle breakdown and soreness. Additionally, it replenishes glycogen, helping muscles recover faster and ensuring they have the resources for repair and growth.
Vitamin D
You may be surprised to learn that the sunshine vitamin plays an essential role in muscle synthesis and athletic performance by supporting muscle function, strength, and recovery. Adequate vitamin D levels have been linked to greater muscle strength and power, while deficiency can lead to muscle weakness and injury. Vitamin D also helps reduce inflammation, promoting faster recovery post-exercise.
Protein Powder
For those who struggle to meet their protein needs through food, whey protein or plant-based protein powders can be an effective way to boost protein intake. Leucine-rich whey protein is a complete protein, particularly effective at stimulating muscle protein synthesis. For whey protein, look for a high quality, grass-fed source without artificial sweeteners or fillers. For plant-based protein, look for an organic option that contains all 9 essential amino acids and at least 20g of protein per serving.
The benefits of muscle extend far beyond strength. From boosting metabolism and improving bone health to supporting mental well-being and increasing longevity, maintaining healthy muscle mass is essential for overall wellness at any age. Whether you're aiming to enhance athletic performance, lose weight, or simply improve vitality, investing in muscle health through regular strength training, prioritizing protein intake, and using strategic supplements like creatine and HMB can help protect and grow your muscle mass for years to come.
Muscle isn't just for athletes—it's a foundational aspect of health that benefits everyone. So, take care of your muscles, and they will take care of you in more ways than you might expect!
Author: Ashley Lizotte, MS
Ashley is one of the co-founders of Farmana. She has her Masters in Nutrition and has spent nearly 20 years of her career in the health and wellness industry, working closely with functional medicine practitioners to formulate therapeutic dietary supplements and develop treatment protocols. Ashley spends most of her time perusing the local farmer's markets, perfecting her sourdough, working out, tending to her garden, trying new recipes, and going on long walks with her Wirehaired Vizsla, Birdie. 🐶
