The topics sports, muscle building and nutrition are strongly interdependent. Not only for competitive athletes, but also for recreational athletes, the right nutrition makes the body more powerful and fitter. However, the term “correct” nutrition is always relative. Some general principles are explained here and clichés are revealed. Thus also the hobby sportsman gets a small impression whether the protein shake in the Fitnessstudio must be really, which he may take when gladly to itself and which he should better do without.
What are the most important nutrients for muscle building
Protein (1g = 4 kcal) Our muscles are made up of thin tissue fibers that lie parallel to each other. Through certain mechanisms, these thin fibers interlock and thus cause the muscle to contract, i.e. shorten. The number of these parallel muscle fibers makes up the total muscle thickness.
All these individual fibers are a formation of protein chains. In order to form new muscle cells, i.e. to stimulate the muscle to grow thicker, the muscle needs appropriate stimuli: what is needed, the body builds, what is not needed, it breaks down. Regular exercise therefore stimulates the muscle to build more muscle cells.
And to do this, it needs its building material: protein. In technical jargon, proteins are referred to as proteins. Proteins in turn consist of amino acids – a chain of small molecules.
It is important to know that the body cannot form these amino acid molecules on its own, but must be taken in with food! Carbohydrates (1g = 4 kcal) In order to perform, the body also needs energy. And it draws this energy primarily through the carbohydrates ingested with food.
Fats (1g = 9 kcal) Fats are also important for muscle building, as they serve as energy carriers and energy stores and absorb the vital vitamins into the organism. The intake of essential (vital) fatty acids through food is crucial for the formation of cells / cell membrane and for various metabolic processes, such as that of lowering cholesterol levels. The body cannot form the essential fatty acids however.
The composition of the macronutrients (energy sources) should be as follows:
- Fats approx. 30%.
- Carbohydrates approx. 55%
- Fats approx. 15%.
