Essential Nutrients For Muscle Health
Maintaining your muscles is essential for many reasons. Not only will it allow you to move more easily, but it will also keep your body strong throughout life.
Your muscle health is directly influenced by the quality of food you eat and how often you exercise. For optimal muscle mass, a diet rich in proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins will supply essential nutrients to build new tissue as well as repair existing muscle tissue.
Calcium
Maintaining adequate calcium levels in your diet is essential for muscle health. The mineral aids bone growth and strength, while it also plays a role in nerve function.
Calcium can be found in many foods and taken as a dietary supplement. It’s also present in over-the-counter antacids, which may help treat certain forms of achlorhydria (low calcium levels).
Your body requires calcium not only for strong bones, but it helps your muscles work optimally as well. Without enough of this vital mineral, you may experience muscle cramps, brittle nails and other symptoms indicative of a deficiency.
A balanced diet that incorporates plenty of dairy products (like milk, cheese and yogurt) as well as calcium-fortified foods is the best way to ensure you get enough of this vital nutrient. Nondairy sources for calcium include dark green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds; plus calcium-fortified beverages like juices or milkshakes.
Men should consume 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium daily, while women require approximately 1,200 mg. The RDA for calcium is higher for children and older adults.
Calcium not only aids in bone development, but it also helps your body regulate normal blood pressure and heart rhythms. Furthermore, calcium acts as a cofactor for several enzymes involved in blood clotting processes.
It plays an essential role in the transport of ions across cell membranes and acts as an electrolyte, enabling electrical signaling between cells and tissues. Magnesium is one of the most abundant minerals in humans, present throughout all bodily tissues.
Calcium plays an integral role in transmitting nerve signals and secreting hormones, as well as helping to prevent kidney stones and arterial calcification.
If you have kidney disease, high blood pressure or a history of heart problems, do not take calcium supplements without your doctor’s permission. These drugs may interact with calcium supplements as well as other dietary supplements and medications prescribed for these conditions. A pharmacist is your best resource for learning about potential drug interactions and making an informed decision whether or not to take a calcium supplement.
Iron
Iron is an essential mineral necessary for human metabolism that can be found in various foods. It aids red blood cell production and transports oxygen throughout tissues, organs and muscles of the body; hence its necessity in athletes who regularly train hard. Supplementing with iron may be taken as a dietary supplement as well.
Endurance sports like running and cycling can deplete the body of iron. Additionally, they produce lactic acid which may impede absorption of this essential mineral. Iron is necessary in these cases to avoid hemolysis – a condition in which muscle tissue dies from lack of oxygen.
Hemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen to muscles, can become inadequate if not produced at an adequate level. This results in muscle fatigue and exhaustion as well as reduced performance during exercise.
It’s essential for the body to produce myoglobin, a type of protein responsible for transporting oxygen within muscles. This keeps muscles hydrated and functioning optimally during workouts while also preventing the production of lactic acid.
Athletes can obtain their iron from a variety of foods, such as lean meats, poultry, fish, dark green vegetables, white beans and lentils, fortified breads and cereals with added vitamin C content – which helps enhance iron absorption.
For adults, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for both men and women is 8 milligrams per day. Adolescents between 14-18 years of age require higher amounts, as do pregnant and lactating women.
Foods rich in iron are easier to absorb than others. Heme iron, found in animal proteins like beef, pork, lamb and seafood, is more bioavailable than non-heme iron.
If you’re iron-deficient, consult your healthcare professional about the appropriate dose of a supplement. They may suggest something tested by an established third-party organization such as USP or NSF International for quality assurance purposes.
Athletes can also take supplemental iron to promote the formation of myoglobin, an oxygen-carrying protein found in muscles. Supplementing with iron supplements may increase these levels, decreasing fatigue and improving performance.
Proper Form
Calcium is an essential mineral for muscle health. It helps keep muscles and nerves functioning correctly, as well as aiding in bone calcification. Furthermore, calcium plays an important role in cardiovascular function.
Calcium is essential for bone health and can be found in many sources, such as dairy products and various other foods like leafy green vegetables, fish, certain grains and calcium-fortified beverages like orange juice. There are also plenty of ways to get enough of this vital mineral through dairy products and other sources.
The body cannot manufacture this mineral, so you must obtain it through food sources. Aim to include a wide variety of foods in your daily meals, such as dairy products, meats, fruits and vegetables.
Eating a balanced diet is the best way to build and maintain strong, healthy bones and teeth. In addition to this, regular exercise such as walking, running, dancing, jogging, stair climbing, weightlifting or racquet sports is another essential component for bone health. Exercise has numerous benefits for your bones –
Exercise equipment like weights and resistance bands can be found at almost any local gym or community center. Make sure you use the correct equipment for each workout, and pay close attention to form during each session.
