The Overlooked Importance of Muscle in Healthcare
Muscle, as an organ system, holds significant importance beyond just enabling movement. It serves as the largest endocrine organ in the body, playing a crucial role in glucose disposal and insulin resistance. Skeletal muscle is vital in aging well and enhancing the quality of life, impacting outcomes related to mortality, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and cancer. Insulin's effects are notably felt in skeletal muscle, even showing signs of resistance early on, preceding the onset of obesity. Despite its metabolic significance, muscle is often disregarded in healthcare assessments, with doctors focusing more on parameters like blood pressure and BMI, disregarding skeletal muscle mass measurements. The lack of routine tools to measure muscle mass hinders its recognition and integration into healthcare practices, leading to a significant oversight of its role in overall health and wellness.
The Misconception of Muscle Mass in Obese Individuals and the Importance of Skeletal Muscle Quality
Obese individuals do not have more muscle mass than average individuals, but actually have less muscle mass. The reduction in brain volume attributed to obesity might be related more to reduced muscle mass than obesity per se. The quality of skeletal muscle is crucial, as having more muscle does not guarantee the quality of the tissue. The focus should be on the quality of skeletal muscle rather than solely on muscle mass, as strength is considered more important than mass according to current research.
Luke's Note
The wider the waist, the lower the brain volume.
Importance of Sleep on Muscle Protein Synthesis
One night of sleep deprivation can suppress muscle protein synthesis by 18%, as demonstrated by a study from the Galveston group.
The Importance of Protein and Quality of Protein Sources
Protein is crucial for satiety, preventing overeating, and consuming the right quality of protein is key. Protein quality, determined by bioavailable essential amino acids, becomes imperative, especially for those not consuming high amounts of protein. The evidence suggests that protein source matters, not just the protein quantity. The food matrix in protein sources contains essential nutrients like creatine, taurine, carnitine, bioavailable iron, zinc, and selenium which are essential for health. While protein is essential, individual amino acids should also be considered nutrients. Some protein sources might have inflated protein numbers on food labels, and demonizing high-quality protein sources like meat without proper understanding can be misleading when making dietary choices.
Luke's Note
.nutrition .protein “Protein” is a far too generic term. Protein is made up of 20 amino acids (9 of which are “essential”, i.e. our bodies don’t make them). Each one should be considered a nutrient as they each have different biological roles. This makes the protein sources we choose more important. We should be looking at more than just the protein number on the nutrition label.
The Impact of Creatine, Protein, and Vegan Diet
Creatine supplementation shows improved cognitive performance and IQ in vegans due to their lower creatine levels. Vegan diets with plant-based protein intake of around 60 to 68 grams can benefit from essential amino acid and creatine supplements. Vegans may struggle with essential amino acid deficiency and having to synthesize creatine internally. The concern lies in the lack of guidance for individuals exploring veganism, especially in the midst of anti-animal narratives. Without proper information and support, there is a risk of negative health implications such as sarcopenia and osteoporosis in the long run.
Luke's Note
Vegans would benefit from taking an essential amino acid supplement as well as creatine. Studies have shown creatine supplementation can increase IQ of vegans.
The Impact of Plasticity on Children's Development
Plasticity in children's brains and bodies allows them to learn multiple languages with no accent at a young age, but this ability diminishes as they grow older. Lack of essential nutrients in children's diets can permanently hinder their cognitive and physical development as the critical window for growth closes with age. This concern is echoed by experts like Peter Ballersted, who emphasizes the importance of providing children with necessary nutrients during their development to avoid long-term negative impacts. The increasing dependence on devices like iPads and reduced social interactions among children further compounds these developmental challenges, as the crucial developmental period for social skills between ages two to four is being compromised. Encouraging physical exercise and interactive play rather than screen time is crucial to ensuring healthy development in children, as missed opportunities for social interaction and physical activity during early childhood cannot be fully recovered at a later age.
The Importance of Exercise for Children and Debunking the Myth of Weightlifting Stunting Growth
Children need exercise to stimulate their muscle tissue for memory and potentiality over time, not focused on max lifts but on priming muscles. Weightlifting does not stunt children's growth unless they are lifting an impossible amount of weight. Lack of studies and media have perpetuated myths about weightlifting being harmful, but in reality, it has benefits such as preventing injuries and improving performance in sports. Overcoming the myth of being 'muscle bound' was crucial in promoting the benefits of strength training for longevity and overall health.
Strength Training Benefits
Strength training benefits include: building muscle efficiently with minimal time commitment, faster metabolism to counteract abundant and palatable food, improved hormone function leading to better overall health, highly individualized and adaptable for consistent exercise, optimal choice for rehabilitating after injury due to its customization, and superior brain training through varied movements enhancing proprioceptive ability and survivability.
Faster Metabolism as a Buffer Against Plentiful and Hyper Palatable Food
Living in a world with abundant and overly tasty food can be challenging. A faster metabolism serves as a valuable defense mechanism in such an environment. Strength training plays a crucial role in increasing muscle mass, thereby boosting metabolism.
Exploring the Connection Between Muscle, Brain, and Quality of Life
The quality of life in older individuals is often compromised by falls leading to decreased mobility due to hip injuries. The speaker emphasizes the contrast between the effects of muscle and body fat on the body's functionality, highlighting that muscle development engages the brain and central nervous system extensively. Lack of movement results in brain atrophy as the brain requires constant stimulation to perform complex movements. The link between muscle loss and brain atrophy suggests that preserving muscle mass is crucial for brain health. The discussion proposes a study to measure brain activity before and after individuals experience reduced mobility due to broken limbs, indicating the importance of ongoing physical and mental engagement to prevent skills and brain function from deteriorating over time.
The Importance of Strength Training for Health and Longevity
The average person lacks awareness of the significant health benefits and improvements in quality of life that can be achieved through strength training. Building bigger muscles through proper strength training can make daily activities easier and improve overall well-being. Just two days a week of structured strength training can yield substantial results, without the need to train intensely. Even older individuals can experience profound enhancements with just one strength training session per week. Doctors play a crucial role in advocating for strength training, and there is a growing need for medical professionals to incorporate strength assessment protocols into routine check-ups to track progress effectively. A new muscle-centric medicine certification course has been developed to educate healthcare professionals and will soon be available to trainers and health coaches.
The Anti-Cancer Effects of Building Muscle
Building muscle has proven to be incredibly anti-cancer and protective against cancer. Strength training stands out as the most potent form of exercise to combat cancer. Despite bodybuilders leading unhealthy lifestyles with extreme training, hormone use, and overeating, their cancer rates are surprisingly lower than the average population, showcasing the significant anti-cancer effects of muscle. High skeletal muscle mass increases survivability against various health risks and disease conditions, emphasizing the crucial role of muscle in overall health and longevity.