Over the years, I’ve talked a lot with clients about how muscles are like the “shock absorbers” we have on our cars. They lengthen to absorb force and they shorten to create force.
When they perform well, the muscles sufficiently create and absorb force in a way that ensures other soft tissues, ligaments, and tendons do not take on undue stress.
When they perform less than optimally, our risk for injury, stiffness, and pain increases, because there is more stress going to places that are not designed for it.
In this way, muscles are very much like our armor, physically. They absorb force and absorb stress to protect other areas of our body, helping our bodies to feel better in movement and athletic performance.
The health benefits of muscle (and using our muscles) go far beyond physical. Muscle acts as “armor” across almost every aspect of our health.
Here are 3 slightly less obvious ways that muscle protects our body, and most important systems, at every stage of life.
Heart Health
One of the primary drivers of poor heart health is metabolic disorder, or our body’s resistance to insulin. Insulin resistance occurs when our body is inefficient in the way it absorbs excess glucose from the blood stream.
Muscles are responsible for clearing 75-80% of glucose from the blood stream; hence, the more muscle we have, the more efficient we become at absorbing glucose from the bloodstream, and the lower the risk for insulin resistance.
By adding 5 lbs of muscle, the average 50 year old woman would increase her capacity to absorb glucose from the blood stream by 10%, drastically decreasing her risk for insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease.
2. Brain Health
In addition to protecting the heart, muscles actively protect brain health. We’ve already covered the way that muscles help to absorb glucose from the blood stream - by doing so, they not only limit the risk for cardiovascular disease, but also decrease our risk for developing Alzheimer's and dementia.
Additionally, muscle contractions release the compounds Irisin and Cathespin B. When these compounds cross the blood-brain barrier, they stimulate the expression of a protein called Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). Neurologists frequently refer to BDNF as “miracle-gro” for the brain - it preserves memory, increases focus, and decreases the risk for neurological disease.
3. Bone Health
Every time our muscles contract, they pull slightly on the bones by which they are connected to. When we stress bone in this way, it sends signals to the bone to grow and strengthen.
Additionally, the contraction of muscle releases molecules like IGF-1, myostatin, and irisin which play important roles in bone growth and strength.
By doing so, muscle acts as an armor for our bone health, decreasing the risk for osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures.
Build muscle and improve performance at Embodi³
Over the past decade, I’ve worked with clients across the United States to build muscle and improve the way muscles support the body.
When muscles support the body, our bodies feel better, recover faster, and perform at their best.
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About the Author
Zach Michael is a chemical and biomedical engineer, lifelong athlete, and founder of Embodi³. For more than a decade, he has worked with everyone from youth and professional athletes to active adults, helping them better understand their bodies, recover, build strength, and perform at their best.
His approach combines engineering-based problem solving with an understanding of movement, the neuromuscular system, and the individual in front of him—because he doesn't believe the human body is a one-size-fits-all system.
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You've Always Taken Care of Your Body. Now It's Time to Understand It Better.
The Muscle Is Life Blueprint is a free guide from Embodi³ founder Zach Michael that explores the 5 foundations for building and optimizing muscle, and how they can help you build a stronger, more capable body for the life you want to live.
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