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Protein, Creatine, Carbohydrates, Magnesium and Iron Key for Long-Term Muscle Health
CHANHASSEN, Minn. (May 31, 2024) – Every day, more than 600 muscles are hard at work in your body to keep you mobile and functioning – and they need to be fed. With proper nutrition, you not only can progress in your workouts and promote optimal health, but also build muscle mass, avoid atrophy and live an active lifestyle. Quality protein intake is where it all begins, but that’s only part of the ideal nutritional equation for peak health and performance.
“Eating a well-rounded diet that prioritizes wholesome foods is essential for healthy muscle development,” says Anika Christ, Senior Director of Weight Loss at Life Time. “It starts with protein, but also requires adequate carbohydrate, magnesium and iron consumption for muscle growth and recovery.”
Christ suggests these five essential nutrients to support your muscles for the long haul:
- Protein and essential amino acids: Every cell in the body contains protein, which is built by amino acids. Protein plays many roles in the body, from providing tissue structure and supporting metabolism to repairing cells and creating new ones, which are vital for maintaining and building muscle tissue. Look for protein and amino acids from animal sources including poultry, beef, dairy, eggs and fish, or try soy, lentils, quinoa, beans and nuts for plant-based protein. If you’re using a protein supplement to help meet your needs, look for a protein powder that is minimally processed and made with natural flavors or sweeteners.
- Creatine: Created primarily in the liver, creatine is stored in muscles and used as an energy source during intense exercise. Although the body produces creatine, it may not be enough to build muscle. High-quality supplements are a safe and effective way to enhance creatine intake for those building muscle, whether vegan or vegetarian, and for postmenopausal women to help combat bone and muscle mass loss.
- Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates may not receive the same amount of credit as protein, but this macronutrient is crucial for muscle health. Carbohydrates are stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen, which is used as energy to spark muscle contractions. Steel-cut oats, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, spaghetti squash, brown rice and black beans are great sources of complex carbohydrates.
- Magnesium: Magnesium is an electrolyte that helps deliver calcium and potassium into muscle cells to support muscle contraction. Legumes, nuts, whole grains, and green leafy vegetables are the prefect source for magnesium. To boost your magnesium intake, consider a high-quality supplement containing chelated magnesium glycinate.
- Iron: Iron is an essential component of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body and helps muscles make and use energy. Lean meat and seafood, nuts, beans and vegetables are all sources of iron. Supplements can also boost your iron stores if they are depleted.
To support your health needs for muscles and more, Life Time offers a full line of high-quality supplements. In a category of products that range from superior to harmful, Life Time’s nutritional products are developed to be of the highest quality and are rigorously tested to ensure purity and potency.
By incorporating these nutrients into a well-balanced diet, you can support these soft tissues that quite literally carry and support you through every movement in life. To explore the topic further, check out the May/June Food Issue edition of Life Time’s Experience Life magazine or the guided nutrition and exercise programs available in the Life Time app—now complimentary to all subscribers.
About Life Time
Life Time (NYSE: LTH) empowers people to live healthy, happy lives through its portfolio of more than 170 athletic country clubs across the United States and Canada. The health and wellness pioneer also delivers a range of healthy way of life programs and information via its complimentary Life Time Digital app. The Company’s healthy living, healthy aging, healthy entertainment communities and ecosystem serve people 90 days to 90+ years old and is supported by a team of more than 39,000 dedicated professionals. In addition to delivering the best programs and experiences through its clubs, Life Time owns and produces nearly 30 of the most iconic athletic events in the country.
Media contact: Molly Lax I 952.229.7179 | mlax@lt.life