The hidden benefits of building muscle: more than just strenght

The hidden benefits of building muscle: more than just strenght

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When we think of building muscle, the first thing that comes to mind is often the visual of bulging biceps and the ability to lift heavy weights. But the benefits of lean muscle mass extend far beyond just looking strong. In fact, having more lean muscle can positively affect many aspects of your health that you might not even be aware of. So, let's dive into the hidden perks of building and maintaining lean muscle mass and why it’s crucial for more than just physical strength.

Lean Muscle and Metabolism

One of the most significant benefits of having more lean muscle is its impact on your metabolism. Muscle tissue is metabolically active, meaning it burns calories even when you're at rest. This makes it easier to manage your weight because the more muscle you have, the more calories your body uses to sustain itself. Unlike fat, which simply stores energy, muscle uses energy, making your body a more efficient calorie-burning machine.

Muscle and bone health: Reducing the Risk of Osteoporosis

Strong muscles support strong bones. When you engage in resistance training or weight-bearing exercises, your muscles pull on your bones, stimulating them to grow stronger. This is crucial for reducing the risk of osteoporosis, a condition where bones become weak and brittle. By maintaining or increasing your muscle mass, you’re also helping to maintain bone density, which is essential as you age.

Muscle and Insulin Sensitivity: Regulation of Blood Sugar Levels

Muscle tissue plays a vital role in regulating blood sugar levels. When you have more muscle mass, your body becomes more sensitive to insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar. We can see the negative correlation between body max index (BMI) and insulin sensitivity (M) in this study

Source: researchgate.net

Improved insulin sensitivity means that your muscles can absorb glucose more effectively, reducing the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. This makes lean muscle mass a powerful ally in managing and preventing diabetes.

Muscle and Cardiovascular Health

Improved Heart Function

Lean muscle mass contributes to better cardiovascular health. Stronger muscles require less effort from your heart to pump blood throughout your body. This efficiency reduces the workload on your heart, lowering the risk of heart disease and improving overall heart function. Interestingly, this study on more than 4.000 patients, found an inverse correlation between muscle mass and mortality, independently of body fat percentage.

Blood Pressure Regulation

Existing scientific evidence suggests that lean muscle mass plays an important role in regulating blood pressure,

A study using data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found a non-linear association between lean body mass and hypertension[4]. The relationship was negative up to a certain point (43.21 kg of lean mass), after which it became positive (so yes, there can be an excess of muscle mass, negatively affecting your health!)

Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the relationship between lean body mass and blood pressure:

1. Insulin sensitivity: As explained above, low lean body mass may be associated with reduced insulin sensitivity, leading to insulin resistance and high blood pressure.

2. Vascular compliance: Both low and high lean body mass may affect vascular compliance differently, influencing blood pressure.

3. Inflammation and oxidative stress: Extreme levels (both low and high) of lean body mass may be associated with increased inflammation and oxidative stress, known risk factors for hypertension.

4. Sympathetic nervous system activity: Lower lean body mass may increase sympathetic nervous system activity, potentially leading to vasoconstriction and increased blood pressure.

There is still one last mechanism through which lean muscle mass can positively affect blood pressure: A study from the Medical College of Georgia found that individuals with higher lean muscle mass were better able to return their blood pressure to normal levels after a stressful event through a process called natriuresis (sodium excretion).

Muscle and Mental Health

The Connection Between Muscle and Mood

A systematic review and meta-analysis (the gold standard of scientific evidence) of 21 different studies on more than 87.000 patients found that muscular strength is inversely and significantly related to depression symptoms. It turns out that building muscle is the best that you can do to avoid depression!!

Several mechanisms may explain how lean muscle mass and strength training improve mood:

  • Neurotransmitter Release: Physical activity that promotes muscle growth stimulates the production of "feel-good" neurotransmitters like endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine, which help regulate mood, reduce stress, and improve overall mental well-being, as we explained in this previous article.
  • Hormonal Balance: Maintaining optimal muscle mass through regular exercise can positively impact mental health by helping balance hormone levels.
  • Stress Reduction: Physical activity and muscle-building exercises can activate the body's stress response system in a controlled manner, potentially improving stress management.

Muscle Mass and Cognitive Function

Interestingly, there’s a growing body of research that suggests a link between muscle mass and cognitive function. Strong muscles are associated with better brain health, particularly as you age. The improved blood flow and hormone regulation that comes with regular exercise can enhance memory, focus, and even reduce the risk of cognitive decline, as it is shown in this review of 30 different research articles.

Muscle Mass and Longevity

For all what has been shown in this article, we could easily deduct that better metabolic health, better cardiovascular health, reduced blood pressure and better mental health will probably live longer, right?

Well, if you still need more evidence, take a look at this study on more than 4.000 patients, which shows the correlation between muscle mass and strength with all-cause mortality.

Lovisa Engstrand

Global Partnership Manager at EF Corporate Learning

4mo

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