Whether your goal is to excel in sports, effectively rehab from an injury or maintain strength as you age, the importance of having healthy strong skeletal muscle can’t be underestimated.
Promoting muscle mass and muscle strength over the years requires the right diet and fitness plan.
When it comes to what you eat, protein is a fundamental nutrient for muscle health.
The vital macronutrient supplies essential amino acids, in particular one called leucine, that stimulate muscle protein synthesis, especially when combined with resistance training.
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What you might not realize, though, is that in addition to protein, a range of nutrients is needed to repair and synthesize muscle tissue.
While these nutrients might not play a starring role like protein does, they are key players that support muscle strength and function.
Here are four muscle-friendly nutrients to keep on your radar, along with dietary strategies to help you get enough of them.
Carbohydrates
If your goal is to gain – or maintain – muscle by lifting weights in the gym, don’t overlook carbohydrates while you focus on protein.
Carbohydrate-containing foods (e.g., fruit, whole grains, sweet potatoes, beans and lentils, milk) deliver glucose to the bloodstream, which fuels muscles during strength workouts.
Eating a high-carbohydrate snack 45 to 60 minutes before a training session can help you push harder and get more out of your intense muscle-building workout.
Glucose that your body doesn’t use immediately is stored in muscles as glycogen to be used for energy at a later time.
A diet that’s low in carbohydrates may also result in consuming too few calories to support muscle-building.
Include healthy carbohydrates in meals and preworkout snacks to help you train more intensely, indirectly stimulating muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth.
Vitamin D
This nutrient, well-recognized for its role in bone health, also influences muscle protein synthesis, muscle fibre size and muscle cell growth.
A vitamin D deficiency has been associated with muscle dysfunction and sarcopenia, the age-related progressive loss of muscle mass and strength.
An adequate intake of vitamin D is also needed for the body to absorb calcium into the bloodstream, a mineral that’s needed for muscle contraction.
Evidence suggests that supplementing with vitamin D benefits muscle strength and physical performance in older adults.
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D, an amount determined to support bone health, is 600 international units (IU) for individuals ages 1 to 70 and 800 IU for older adults.
Foods that provide vitamin D naturally, which are few and far between, include salmon, tuna, egg yolks, cheese and some mushrooms.
Fluid milk and many brands of non-dairy beverages are fortified with vitamin D (100 IU per one cup).
To help meet daily vitamin D requirements, Health Canada recommends that Canadians over age 50 supplement their diet with 400 IU (10 mcg) of vitamin D.
To achieve a sufficient blood level of vitamin D, measured by a 25-hydroxy vitamin D test, some people may need a higher dose vitamin D supplement. If you’re concerned about your body’s vitamin D level, speak to your doctor.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Studies suggest that omega-3s in fatty fish, called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), help counteract age-related muscle loss and improve physical performance.
In healthy older adults, supplementing with fish oil has been associated with improved muscle mass and muscle strength.
DHA and EPA are thought to promote muscle health by combatting inflammation in muscle cells, stimulating muscle protein synthesis and improving insulin sensitivity, which allows muscle cells to more effectively use glucose in the bloodstream.
There are no RDAs for DHA and EPA. However, many experts recommend consuming 250 to 500 mg of DHA and EPA (combined) each day for heart health, an amount that translates into about two five-ounce servings of fatty fish per week.
Salmon, trout, Arctic char, sardines, herring and mackerel are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. If you don’t eat fish, you could consider taking a fish oil supplement that provides 500 mg of DHA and EPA combined.
Magnesium
This mighty mineral plays a pivotal role in more than 300 bodily processes, including protein synthesis, muscle contraction, nerve transmission and energy production.
Magnesium is instrumental in the generation of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a molecule that provides on-demand energy for muscle contraction. It also provides anti-inflammatory benefits.
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Higher magnesium intakes from food have been tied to increased muscle mass and leg muscle power in healthy women ages 34 to 83. Magnesium supplementation (300 mg per day versus none) has also been shown to significantly improve physical performance in healthy older women.
Magnesium requirements for adults are 310 to 320 mg (females) and 400 to 420 mg (males) daily.
Exceptional food sources include cooked spinach and Swiss chard, pumpkin, sunflower, hemp seeds and chia seeds, black beans, edamame, quinoa and 100-per-cent bran cereals.
Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based private practice dietitian, is director of food and nutrition at Medcan. Follow her on X @LeslieBeckRD
