Muscle Health: FIT to make you stronger in more ways than one.

Nobody needs to tell you that powerful muscles help you ride faster, run farther, or lift longer. But your muscles do way more than keep you quick and fit. For example, your heart is made from muscle tissue, which may explain why stronger people have better heart health. As it turns out, that’s just the beginning.

Muscles do more than keep us strong!

Muscles have many surprising health perks. Here are 5 ways your muscles take good care of you, plus tips to keep them happy and healthy.

1. A speedier metabolism. Muscles require a lot of energy, even at rest. That’s why someone who’s ripped burns more calories than a similar-sized person who’s not as built. If you’d like to rev up your calorie burn, hit the weights.

2. Improve blood sugar. Your muscles are constantly gobbling up glucose from the bloodstream for fuel. The result? Maintaining a healthy muscle mass can improve blood sugar control and reduce the risk of developing diabetes and the more active we are, the more sensitive muscles become to our insulin, which means you need less insulin to lower your blood sugar. 

3. Sturdier bones. What does size have to do with bone health? The principle of resistance applies here, as you build muscle, it creates pressure on the bones, and in turn, the bones grow stronger. You probably already know that calcium can help your bones thrive. But to harness the bone-strengthening powers of muscle, they need protein too. A good daily goal is 0.4 to 0.7 grams of protein for every pound you weigh. 

4. Quicker recovery from sickness or surgery. When you’re going under the knife or battling a chronic illness or injury, your muscles may be the last thing on your mind. However, bulking up may help you bounce back faster. For example, trauma patients with low muscle mass may be 9 times more likely to succumb to their injuries than trauma patients with the most muscle tissue. 

5. A ripe old age. Big biceps might look impressive, but strong ones may help you live longer. In one recent study of 4,449 adults over 50, people with the weakest muscles were more than twice as likely to die from any cause than those with the most muscle power. If you’re nowhere near 50, that may not seem all that relevant. But after age 30, we start shedding 3 to 5 percent of our muscle mass per decade. So, it’s never too early to start building your reservoir!

What else can you do to build more brawn? Move as much as possible, in as many ways as you can, both in the gym and out. Whether your job is physical or not, staying active in and out of work is the best way to stay FIT and healthy for years to come.