|  | Diet Nutrition | Nutritional Supplements

Supplements That Prevent Muscle Loss

If you are like most people, you do not want to have flabby arms and legs. Ever. This is why it is crucial for you to maintain the muscle mass you currently have. One way to maintain and even increase muscle mass is to weight train, eat right, and sleep enough. Are there any supplements that can prevent you from losing muscle as well?

  1. Good Supplements

    • There certainly are supplements that can help you prevent sarcopenia, which is another word for muscle loss. Some are proven to be more effective than others. The amino acid leucine is one that is supposed to be highly effective. It was tested on rats with positive results. The website Biospace.com published Dec. 12, 2005, that, "A leucine-rich diet could reduce age-related muscle loss. By supplementing the diet of young (8-month) and old (22-month) rats with 5 per cent leucine the scientists from INRA's Human Nutrition Research Centre in Auvergne showed that muscle loss was repressed in the older rats." It is likely this supplement will work well on humans as well. The government-hosted website PubMed supports this hypothesis. In a review published January 2009, it was stated that, "Supplementing regular mixed-nutrient meals with leucine may also enhance the muscle protein synthetic response in elders."

      According to the online magazine Life Extension, whey-protein, vitamin-D, and creatine are helpful in preventing muscle loss. You can find whey-protein in diary products. There are other nutrients that may help you maintain muscle mass and these are the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, as well as glutamine. The latter works best in conjunction with exercise.

    Questionable Supplements

    • Life Extension Magazine points out that "Because hormonal factors can significantly affect muscle mass, all adults over 40 should undergo annual blood testing to track their hormone levels. If necessary, deficiencies of essential hormones such as growth hormone, DHEA, and testosterone can be addressed using bio-identical hormone replacement therapy." The male sex hormone testosterone is very effective in preventing muscle loss. Unfortunately, unless your doctor prescribes it for you, it is illegal. Also, it has many documented side effects that may not be worth the benefits. Your safest bet to avoid muscle loss is to eat a diet rich in high-quality protein, fruits and veggies, and less cereal grain foods. It is crucial that you weight train regularly and get adequate rest.

Nutritional Supplements - Related Articles