Exploring the impact of muscle mass on metabolism
Our muscles serve as the powerhouse of movement, enabling us to complete everyday tasks and engage in physical activity with ease and efficiency. Beyond their role in movement and strength, skeletal muscle exerts a remarkable influence over your body’s metabolic processes. As the body's largest endocrine organ, skeletal muscle modulates our bodies ability to optimize both energy expenditure and metabolic regulation. In this blog post, we will explore how skeletal muscle can shape your metabolic health and its implications on vitality throughout the lifespan!
What is metabolism?
Metabolism can be looked at as the amount of energy needed to complete every chemical process that occurs in your body on a daily basis. These could include activities that sustain life and enable physiological functions, such as digestion, breathing, circulation and cellular repair. Metabolism involves two core processes that work in harmony to regulate the body’s ability to balance energy demands and ensure that essential nutrients are utilized efficiently. These include anabolism, the constructive phase of metabolism, which involves the synthesis of molecules from simpler ones such as the formation of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Conversely, catabolism, the destructive phase, entails the breakdown of larger molecules into small units, releasing energy that can be utilized by the body. The rate at which metabolism occurs can be influenced by various factors including age, genetics, body composition, hormone levels, and activity level. Optimizing your metabolism helps to ensure efficient utilization of nutrients, helping to maintain stable energy throughout the day. This, in turn, helps to promote healthy weight management by influencing the body's ability to store or burn calories effectively.
The Relationship Between Skeletal Muscle and Metabolism:
One of the key mechanisms by which skeletal muscle influences metabolism is by regulating the levels of circulating glucose in our bloodstream. Effective glucose regulation is crucial for maintaining energy balance, both within individual muscle fibers and across the entire body. Muscles possess a unique capability to store glucose in the form of glycogen, serving as a reserve fuel source that can be quickly mobilized to initiate energy production during muscle contractions, even in situations where dietary glucose is limited. Increased lean muscle mass allows for greater storage of glucose as glycogen, resulting in reduced levels of circulating glucose in the bloodstream and lower blood sugar levels throughout the body. Reduced blood sugar levels aid in lowering insulin levels which helps to enhance the cellular capacity to utilize insulin effectively. When insulin levels are lower in the body, it prompts the body to rely more on fat stores for fuel rather than depending on circulating blood glucose. In summary, increasing skeletal muscle mass can boost metabolism by optimizing glucose storage, thereby improving insulin sensitivity and enhancing the body’s ability to utilize fat as a source of energy!
Why is maintaining muscle mass so important throughout your life?
There is a common belief that as we age, our basal metabolic rate decreases, potentially leading to heightened susceptibility to weight gain over time. However, research indicates that from the ages of 20 to 60 years old, there is no discernible change in basal metabolic rate. So, why do many individuals find that weight gain becomes more common as they age? This could be attributed to various factors such as reduced sleep duration, increased stress levels, or higher caloric intake. Another potential primary factor could be attributed to a condition known as sarcopenia, characterized by the age-related decline in muscle mass and function. Sarcopenia can begin as early as 25 years old and is due to both the shrinking of muscle fibers and the elimination of the fibers altogether. As skeletal muscle mass decreases, the storage capacity for circulating glucose diminishes leading to increased blood sugar levels and decreased insulin sensitivity. This might explain why we find it increasingly challenging to maintain weight as we age, underscoring the importance of preserving muscle mass throughout the lifespan.
Pilates can help you maintain your muscle mass!
As previously mentioned, the importance of preserving muscle mass grows even more pronounced as we progress through life. This highlights the need for effective and safe methods of building and maintaining muscle for individuals of all ages. Utilizing Pilates as a strategy to counteract sarcopenia is beneficial, as it not only helps to build and maintain muscle mass but also improves flexibility, endurance, coordination, bone mineral density, blood circulation, postural alignment and balance! Pilates adopts a holistic approach to training by engaging multiple muscle groups simultaneously to facilitate muscle growth across different areas of the body. As a result, this contributes to optimizing metabolism and aids in weight management as you age! Our program, The Movement, is a great place to kickstart your metabolism boosting, strength training routine and build vitality in your life. Book your free 1-on-1 call with us today to learn more!
Resources:
Fernández-Rodríguez R, Álvarez-Bueno C, Ferri-Morales A, Torres-Costoso A, Pozuelo-Carrascosa DP, Martínez-Vizcaíno V. Pilates improves physical performance and decreases risk of falls in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Physiotherapy. 2021;112:163-177.
Kim G, Kim JH. Impact of Skeletal Muscle Mass on Metabolic Health. Endocrinol Metab (Seoul). 2020;35(1):1-6.
Pereira MJ, Dias G, Mendes R, et al. Efficacy of Pilates in Functional Body Composition: A Systematic Review. Applied Sciences. 2022;12(15):7523.
Pontzer H, Yamada Y, Sagayama H, et al. Daily energy expenditure through the human life course. Science. 2021;373(6556):808-812.