13 tips for stronger and more durable muscles

Everyone needs strong and functioning muscles. For athletes, they are a prerequisite for optimal performance, but they are also important for those who do not do sport much – without them, their body would not “hold together” and they would soon be overtaken by back pain. So how can we support our muscles?

If we want our muscles to get stronger, we need to “wake up” the genes that are responsible for the growth of their strength. This means giving the body a stimulus to increase the activity of these genes.

What do our muscles need?

The absolute basis here is regular exercise. It makes no difference in principle whether we strain our muscles on machines in the gym or give them a similar load in the garden with a shovel in hand, but if we don’t give them a stimulus in the form of physical activity, they will have no reason to get stronger.

But training alone is not enough. In addition to it, other conditions must be provided:

1. Nutrition

The basic building block of muscle mass is protein. If we don’t have enough of it in our diet, our muscles will neither grow nor get stronger. They may even weaken and increase the risk of injury. In fact, during strenuous training, small, microscopic damage occurs in muscle fibres, and without protein, it is impossible to repair them effectively. However, many micronutrients are also important for muscle function, which we will discuss below.

2. Functioning mitochondria

Energy for muscle work is provided by the nutrients we consume in our diet, mainly carbohydrates and fats. However, this energy must first be extracted from them, which happens in organelles called mitochondria. So if we have too few or dysfunctional mitochondria, the muscles don’t have the energy to work and performance declines. Mitochondria “proliferate” well, especially during lower and moderate intensity endurance activities. Some micronutrients (see below) can help them to do this, but so can hardening or red light.

3. Anabolic hormones

No, we don’t mean doping. On the contrary, we need to get our body to produce enough anabolic hormones on its own. These are mainly testosterone (this also applies to women) and growth hormone (GH), but female estrogen also has anabolic effects (albeit significantly lower).

Adequate production of testosterone and GH will help us ensure proper exercise. High-intensity activities work here, whether it is weight training with maximum or submaximal loads or repeated sprints. A diet rich in protein is helpful here, while too much carbohydrate is detrimental. GH is produced mostly in the deeper stages of sleep, so it is essential that sleep is long enough and preferably uninterrupted. Excessive stress is also detrimental – the stress hormone cortisol counteracts testosterone and is thus an effective “eater” of muscle mass.

4. Rest

This principle applies not only to weight training, but to any training. Our performance does not grow during training. Although it is necessary to switch on the genes that are responsible for muscle growth and further adaptation to the load, the adaptation processes take place afterwards, during rest. So if we train hard but don’t get enough rest and recovery, neither our muscle strength nor other aspects of performance will grow.

5. Reduction of inflammation

As we have already mentioned, with every more demanding workout, microscopic damage to muscle fibres occurs, resulting in inflammation in the muscles. Although this is necessary for the repair process to some extent, it is also the reason why our muscles ache after training and are not capable of maximum load. So while it would be a mistake to try to “erase” the inflammation completely, reducing it will help us speed up recovery, and we will be able to train again sooner.

Nutrients and herbs for your muscles

Epigenetic nutrients and herbs can help us with all of the above factors. So here are a few tips on useful helpers.

1. Hydroxytyrosol

The polyphenol contained in olives and olive oil supports the processes necessary for muscle growth and muscle strength, while increasing the formation of new mitochondria in the muscles. It is also a very powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory effects that speed up muscle recovery after exercise.

2. Curcumin

Turmeric root dye is one of the agents with a very strong positive effect on muscles. It promotes the formation of mitochondria and their function, allowing muscle cells to increase the amount of energy available for their work. It is also one of the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory agents, which significantly accelerates recovery and relieves soreness of strained muscles.

In addition, it improves the availability of nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels and thus improves blood supply to working muscles. For example, the researchers tested a group of adults who were given 2,000 mg of curcumin daily for 12 weeks and examined the differences in blood flow in the major artery in the upper arm. The result was surprising: blood flow increased by an average of 34%!

3. Pomegranate

It very effectively promotes the production of testosterone, which has a positive effect on muscle growth, muscle strength and the rate of repair of muscle fibers damaged after a hard workout. Its anti-inflammatory action also contributes to the speed of recovery. In addition, it is one of the most effective natural means to promote the production of nitric oxide, thereby improving blood circulation to working muscles.

4. Marali root

Safflower root is very popular among bodybuilders and speed and strength athletes. It contains substances from the group of ecdysterones, which in the body willingly bind to receptors designed for testosterone. Thanks to this, marali root very effectively promotes muscle strength and muscle growth. It is also suitable for maintaining muscle strength in menopausal women. Marali root should be taken together with rhodiola (pink rhodiola). These two herbs act synergistically and therefore together have a much better effect on the growth of muscle mass and strength.

5. Magnesium

This mineral is involved in the functioning of muscles in a very fundamental way. It acts as a calcium antagonist, counteracting uncontrollable muscle contraction. This is why cramps are typical in its deficiency. In addition, it is involved in other processes that affect muscle function, such as oxygen utilization, energy production and electrolyte balance. In addition, during intense training, magnesium is redistributed to meet all metabolic needs. Therefore, athletes in particular suffer from a deficiency of this element very often, which subsequently leads to a deterioration in performance. Magnesium supplementation can therefore have the effect of increasing performance in both endurance and speed-strength sports.

6. Vitamin D3

It is necessary for the production of testosterone, and if a man suffers from its deficiency, the level of this male sex hormone is reduced. Long-term use of vitamin D3 while research leads to an increase in testosterone levels.

7. Resveratrol

Resveratol suppresses the production of the aromatase enzyme, thereby reducing the rate of conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Thus, it helps to maintain sufficient testosterone levels in the blood. It also relieves inflammatory processes that arise in the muscles after intense physical exertion. It is also a very effective mitochondrial activator. Veteran athletes respond very well to it, which helps them maintain muscle mass and strength into old age (also applies to menopausal women).

8. Astaxanthin

The dye contained in salmon and shrimp meat, for example, also has a significant positive effect on muscles – it protects their cells from free radicals and apoptosis (i.e. cell death), promotes the function of their mitochondria and improves the formation of new blood vessels.