What is the role of skeletal muscle in preventing disease and optimizing health?

From the Guidelines

Maintaining healthy skeletal muscle is crucial for disease prevention and overall health optimization. It is recommended to engage in regular physical activity, such as resistance training and aerobic exercise, to build and preserve skeletal muscle mass, as supported by studies such as 1 and 1.

Key Recommendations

• Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week, along with 2-3 sessions of resistance training per week, as suggested by 1 and 1.
• Include exercises like squats, lunges, and leg press to target major muscle groups, which can help improve muscle strength and endurance, as noted in 1.
• Additionally, adequate nutrition, including sufficient protein intake of 1.2-1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, is essential to support muscle growth and maintenance, although the exact protein intake may vary depending on individual needs and circumstances.

Health Benefits

• Regular exercise and healthy skeletal muscle can help prevent and manage chronic diseases such as:
  • Type 2 diabetes, as discussed in 1
  • Cardiovascular disease, as highlighted in 1 and 1
  • Certain types of cancer, as explored in 1
• It can also improve mental health, reduce the risk of falls and fractures, and enhance overall quality of life, as supported by various studies, including 1 and 1.

Consultation with Healthcare Professionals

It is essential to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise or nutrition program, especially for individuals with underlying medical conditions or taking medications such as blood thinners or diabetes medications, as they can provide personalized guidance and recommendations to ensure safe and effective implementation, as emphasized in 1.

From the Research

Role of Skeletal Muscle in Preventing Disease

The skeletal muscle plays a crucial role in preventing disease and optimizing health. Some of the key aspects of skeletal muscle in disease prevention include:

• Maintenance of muscle and bone health through adequate nutrition and diet, including components such as protein, calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, C, K, B12 2
• Musculoskeletal fitness, which includes muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility, and is associated with reduced coronary risk factors, increased bone mineral density, and improved glucose tolerance 3
• Regulation of skeletal muscle mass through exercise and nutrition, which is critical for human health and well-being, particularly in older adults 4

Skeletal Muscle and Insulin Resistance

Skeletal muscle also plays a role in maintaining glucose homeostasis and preventing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Key points include:

• The skeletal muscle secretome contributes to the maintenance and regulation of overall physiological health, and myokines such as interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and interleukin-15 play a crucial role in insulin resistance 5
• Combining aerobic exercise with resistance training may be an effective strategy for managing insulin resistance, with high-intensity activities offering superior metabolic benefits and long-term adherence 5

Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Skeletal Muscle Atrophy

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a major contributing mechanism to skeletal muscle atrophy, which can be caused by various pathological conditions such as prolonged immobilization, cachexia, aging, and cardiovascular diseases. Key points include:

• Mitochondrial dysfunction plays crucial roles in various biological processes, including energy production, metabolic flexibility, maintenance of redox homeostasis, and regulation of apoptosis 6
• Current strategies for preventing or treating skeletal muscle atrophy include exercise, mitochondria-targeted antioxidants, and the potential use of mitochondrial transplantation as a therapeutic approach 6