Lopinavir and Ritonavir are a combination of antiviral medicines used to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. They belong to a class of medications called protease inhibitors, which functions by decreasing the amount of HIV in the blood. When taken together, ritonavir also helps increase the amount of lopinavir in the body. The lopinavir blocks the protease action and results in the formation of defective viruses that cannot infect the body’s cells. As a result, the number of viruses in the body decreases. Nevertheless, it does not prevent the transmission of HIV among individuals, and it does not cure HIV infections.
Preliminary in-vitro studies have shown that the lopinavir/ritonavir combination may inhibit the replication of the Novel Coronavirus. Certain case reports published by scientists from China, Thailand, and Japan have described the effectiveness of this combination in COVID-19. Several clinical trials are currently being conducted to identify the effectiveness, with some showing no benefit and others, some promise.
The CYP3A4 gene contains instructions for the production of a protein that belongs to the cytochrome P450 superfamily of enzymes. Its expression is induced by glucocorticoids and some pharmacological agents. It catalyzes many reactions involved in drug metabolism and synthesis of cholesterol, steroids, and other lipids.
rs28371759 and Lopinavir - Ritonavir Response
The rs28371759 is a single nucleotide polymorphism or an SNP in the CYP3A4 gene. Studies have shown that the minor allele - C is associated with increased enzyme activity, thus facilitating the metabolism of drugs like lopinavir. The minor allele carriers may need to increase the dosage of these drugs compared to wild-type carriers.
Glucose response or glucose tolerance is a measure of how fast your body can push glucose from the blood into the muscles and tissues. It is the ability to move glucose load.
Your glucose tolerance can be determined by a glucose tolerance test, which is also used for diabetes diagnosis. The glucose tolerance test helps identify any abnormalities in how your body responds to glucose after a meal.
How’s the test done?
In a healthy individual, a spike in glucose is seen within the first 15 minutes of glucose ingestion. The levels reach the peak at about 30 minutes after ingestion. After 30 minutes, a progressive decline is observed - the 2-hour value should ideally be 25% more than the fasting value - measurement of blood sugar levels after an eight-hour fast. A fasting value of less than 100 mg/dL is considered normal. At 3 hours, the glucose levels should reach the baseline. However, for people with impaired glucose tolerance, the 2-hour value is much higher than the fasting value. For people with diabetes, the glucose value continues to rise till the 2-hour study period.
Exercising contributes to blood sugar maintenance by increasing insulin sensitivity. If your body is sensitive to insulin, it means that it can transport glucose from your blood into the cells to be used as an energy source. Exercising promotes glucose uptake by the muscles. This helps lower blood sugar levels. According to a study, a single bout of exercise can increase insulin sensitivity for at least 16 hours post-exercise.
Genes modify the effects of regular physical activity on glucose homeostasis - the maintenance of balance of insulin and glucagon to keep blood sugar levels in check. People with certain changes in genes involved in blood sugar regulation, may have a lesser insulin response than others.
The PPARG gene contains instructions for the production of a protein called peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma. It plays a critical role in regulating insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis and can be associated with improved insulin sensitivity.
Additionally, PPAR-gamma has been implicated in the pathology of numerous diseases including obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and cancer. This gene regulates the functions of other genes as well.
A loss-of-function mutation in the PPARG gene has been associated with insulin resistance, increased blood sugar levels, and increased risk of obesity. Loss-of-function mutations refer to changes in genes that result in reduced or complete loss of gene and protein function.
rs1801282
rs1801282, also known as Pro12Ala, is a single nucleotide polymorphism, or SNP in the PPARG gene. This SNP has been studied to modulate the glucose response upon endurance training. According to a study, the Ala carriers, or G allele carriers (people having GG type) experienced better improvements in glucose and insulin metabolism in response to endurance training.
White blood cells express cytokines. Cytokines are a group of proteins that are expressed by the immune system. They play an important role in cell communication, especially during immune responses.
Some of these cytokines are termed interleukins - abbreviated as IL. IL6 or interleukin 6 is a cytokine that is produced at the site of inflammation. The IL6 gene contains instructions for the production of IL6 protein. Studies suggest that people who are susceptible to type 2 diabetes display features of low-grade inflammation years before the disease sets in.
The IL6 gene, other than its role in immune regulation, also influences glucose homeostasis and metabolism.
rs1800795
rs1800795 is an SNP in the IL6 gene. This SNP has been associated with the circulating levels of the IL6 cytokine. Studies have shown that the C allele of this SNP plays a role in decreased production of IL6 when compared to the G allele.
According to a study, there are differences in training-induced changes amongst the CC, CG, and GG types. The G allele was found to play a role in significantly decreasing the glucose concentration when compared to the C allele.
The LEPR gene contains instructions for the production of a protein called the leptin receptor. The leptin receptor is turned on (activated) by a hormone called leptin. Leptin is released by fat cells. This hormone plays a role in regulating the satiety response in the body. A positive association has been recorded between the size of the fat cells in your body and the amount of leptin hormone - that is, the larger the fat cells, the more the leptin hormone levels.
Leptin has also been associated with glucose homeostasis. It regulates blood sugar levels either by direct or indirect action. Leptin can directly act on peripheral tissues like adipocyte (fat) tissues and muscle tissues or indirectly on the central nervous system.
Even in the absence of insulin, leptin can regulate blood sugar levels.
rs1137100
rs1137100 is an SNP in the LEPR gene. This SNP has been associated with glucose tolerance and insulin response. It is also called K109R polymorphism. According to a study, K109R modulates exercise-induced changes in various measures of glucose homeostasis. The study revealed that 109R allele carriers or the G allele carriers had a better glucose response to physical activity when compared to K109 allele carriers or A allele carriers.
Out of the three macros - carbs, proteins, and fats - carbs have the most effect on blood sugar levels. The spike in blood glucose depends on the type of carbs (simple or complex) and the glycemic index (GI) of the food. GI is the measure of how much specific foods increase blood sugar levels.
The effect of fatty foods is seen more profoundly in people with diabetes. They tend to experience a higher insulin resistance upon fatty food consumption. That is, they may require more insulin to regulate their blood sugar levels.
In people with diabetes, consumption of caffeine leads to disruption in glucose metabolism. However, in healthy individuals, it has been known to increase insulin sensitivity; therefore, it lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Alcohol can either increase or decrease your blood sugar levels, depending on how much you drink. The liver plays a role in glucose homeostasis by releasing glucose when the levels are lower in the body. When alcohol is consumed, the liver gets busy with breaking down the alcohol. This can lead to low blood sugar levels.
The dawn phenomenon refers to the natural increase in blood sugar levels that occurs early in the morning. This is due to the changes in the hormonal levels in the body. It occurs both in people with and without diabetes. In healthy people, the insulin release is triggered, which brings the blood sugar levels back to normal. However, in case of diabetes, this doesn’t happen. As a result, those with diabetes may experience certain symptoms associated with elevated blood sugar levels.
Even partial sleep deprivation can contribute to insulin resistance. This, in turn, can increase blood sugar levels.
The different stages of the cycle impact your glucose levels in different ways. This effect can vary from woman to woman and even from month to month! While some women have reported an increase in blood sugar levels during their periods, others report a sharp decline in sugar levels! A few days before, after, and during your periods, the levels of estrogen and progesterone change. This can induce temporary resistance to insulin which can last for up to a few days and then drop off.
While any regular physical activity can help control blood sugar levels, certain exercise tips can help magnify the effects on blood sugar levels.
1. Brisk walking
Walking is probably one of the most prescribed activities for people with type 2 diabetes. Brisk walking, done at a pace that raises the heart rate, is considered a moderate-intensity exercise. Moderate-intensity exercises make your heart beat a little faster. This encourages your muscles to use more glucose.
2. Exercising after eating
According to a study, glucose levels hit the peak 60-90 mins after meals. So it is a good idea to begin your workout 30 mins post eating.
3. Yoga
When stress levels are high, cortisol hormone is released, which increases blood sugar levels. So, by managing stress, you can also keep your blood sugar levels in check. What better way to manage stress than yoga? According to a review study, yoga can help control stress and manage diabetes.
4. Checking your blood sugar levels
It is important to monitor your blood sugar levels both before and after exercise just to see how your body responds to exercise.
5. Resistance and aerobic training
Both these forms of training have proven to effectively reduce insulin resistance in previously sedentary older adults with abdominal obesity at risk for diabetes. However, combining both these exercises has been studied to be more effective than doing either one alone.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10683091/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2840709/
https://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/54/suppl_2/S114
https://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs1800795
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15180970/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15161768/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9416027/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14706966/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2017.00228/full
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6145966/
Pain is defined as an uncomfortable feeling in response to intense or damaging stimuli. An external stimulus like the pricking of skin, heat, or pressure is detected by the pain receptors. The pain receptors activate the nerve fibers nearby. The nerve fibers send signals through the spinal cord to the brainstem. From here, the signals are sent to the brain. This signal is interpreted as pain, and the brain sets off reflexes that can help stop or deal with the pain.
Pain can be a good thing. Pain alerts your brain and tells you that something is wrong. There is a potential illness or injury that needs to be taken care of.
The maximum amount of pain you can handle is termed pain tolerance. This is different from the pain threshold, which is the minimum point at which a stimulus like pressure or heat causes pain.
Pain can be acute or chronic. It can occur due to a specific injury or overall body aches. The level of pain you can tolerate depends on several biological and psychological factors. Pain tolerance or sensitivity varies from person to person.
Regular exercise has many benefits. It keeps you healthy, fit, and reduces pain. Research shows that exercise can help increase your pain tolerance also.
A study was done in 2014 to examine the effect of aerobic exercise training on pain sensitivity in healthy individuals. The results of the study show that moderate to high-intensity aerobic training increases ischemic pain tolerance in healthy individuals. The study focussed on ischemic pain, the burning pain you feel when your muscles don’t get enough oxygen, and pressure pain, the pain you feel when excess pressure is applied to a muscle. Other studies show that exercise increases pressure pain tolerance also.
Several genes that affect the way you perceive different kinds of pain have been identified. Apart from other factors, your genes also influence how you respond to pain.
The COMT gene encodes an enzyme called catechol-O-methyltransferase. This enzyme breaks down catecholamines, fight or flight hormones. This gene influences the development of our personalities, identities, and dispositions. Variations in this gene are associated with stress, pain, and anxiety.
Age: Pain tolerance increases with age; as you experience more pain, your body gets used to it.
Gender: Studies report that females are more sensitive to pain.
Stress: Stress can decrease your pain tolerance and make the pain feel more severe.
Chronic illness People with chronic illnesses like migraines tend to become more sensitive to pain.
Mental illness: People with depression or anxiety disorders have lesser pain tolerance.
Past experiences: Your past experiences influence how you perceive pain. For example, if you live in a cold climate for a very long time, you get used to the temperature conditions. This makes you less sensitive to extreme temperatures and increases your pain tolerance.
Expectations: This is a psychological thing. A person who expects more pain tends to feel more intense pain. Your coping strategies and thinking affect how you react to painful experiences.
Exercise: Research shows that exercise is an effective way of increasing pain tolerance or decreasing pain sensitivity. Physical activities, especially aerobic exercises like cycling, can increase your pain tolerance. Pain tolerance increases as you work out consistently for longer periods of time.
Yoga: Studies show that people who regularly practice yoga have a higher pain tolerance. Yoga helps you relax, reduce stress, deal with depression and anxiety, and makes you more aware of your mind and body.
Vocalization: Vocalizing your feelings when you experience pain can help you tolerate it for longer. Studies show that people who say a simple ‘ow’ or curse while experiencing painfully cold water can withstand the pain for much longer. People who cursed seemed to have greater pain tolerance.
Biofeedback: This is a type of therapy that makes a person more aware of their body or mind and the response to stimuli like pain. The therapist will teach you techniques to control your response to pain. Mental imaging, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques are some of the methods used in this therapy.
https://www.healthline.com/health/high-pain-tolerance#factors
https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/features/whats-your-pain-tolerance
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/high-pain-tolerance#causes
https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/13/how-exercise-helps-us-tolerate-pain/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24504426/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12595695/
When blood flows through your arteries, the force that it exerts against the wall of the arteries is measured as blood pressure. It can also be understood as the resistance offered by the blood vessels to the flow of blood. Blood pressure also takes into account the amount of blood that flows through your vessels. It is calculated by multiplying cardiac output and total peripheral resistance, which is the resistance provided by the walls of blood vessels.
Normal blood pressure readings are usually around 120/80 mmHg.
Blood pressure can fluctuate in response to changes in diet, physical activity, body size, health, and diseases that affect the blood vessels.
During exercise or high-stress situations, the heart rate increases, which leads to an increase in cardiac output. This leads to a rise in blood pressure.
After a workout, your blood pressure normally rises due to an increase in physical activity and heart rate. It should return to its resting level in some time. The sooner it returns to its resting level, the more healthy you are.
When you exercise, your muscles need more oxygen, and hence, the demand for blood increases. To supply more blood to the muscles, the heart has to beat faster and pump a large volume of blood into the vessels. This large volume of blood being pumped increases the blood pressure.
Exercise increases your systolic blood pressure levels. This is a measure of blood pressure when your heart is beating. Diastolic reading is a measure of blood pressure when your heart is at rest in between heartbeats. This is not greatly affected by exercise.
During cycling, working out, swimming, or running, your muscles need more oxygen, and this increases the demand on the heart. Your heart starts pumping faster and harder, and this leads to an increase in systolic pressure.
The blood pressure readings after exercise vary from person to person.
After exercise, your systolic pressure can increase to a value between 160 mmHg and 220 mmHg. Beyond this is a cause for concern, and you need to talk to your doctor. It might be exercise hypertension, which is an extreme spike in blood pressure due to exercise.
Heavy resistance training that includes weight lifting can cause a greater increase in blood pressure compared to aerobic training. This is because of the increase in intra-abdominal pressure and compressive forces exerted by the equipment.
High blood pressure on exercising is usually a rise in pressure more than 140/90 mmHg after two hours of rest. Low blood pressure readings are anything below 90/60 mmHg after two hours of rest on exercising.
Exercise can also be an effective way of lowering blood pressure in hypertensive people. With age, you tend to get blood pressure related problems, but these can be controlled with the right medication and exercise. As you keep exercising, your heart works harder and becomes stronger. Your heart can pump more blood without exerting extra force on your arteries and this can bring your blood pressure levels back to normal. People with hypertension are not usually recommended to do heavy resistance training as this may lead to high spikes in blood pressure. Talk to your doctor about your exercise plan if you’re hypertensive.
The GNAS gene encodes a protein part of the G protein complex. G protein complexes are involved in many cell signaling pathways. It is involved in the changes of calcium and potassium ion concentrations within cells. These changes are important in regulating cardiac output and peripheral vascular resistance, which is used to calculate blood pressure. Variants of this gene are studied in relation to hypertension.
rs62205366
rs62205366 is an SNP in the GNAS gene. According to a study conducted, men with the T allele and a family history of hypertension had lower blood pressure after performing low-intensity aerobic exercise compared to those with the CC genotype.
Physical activity and fitness: Exercising consistently and remaining fit helps your blood pressure drop back to its resting state after exercise. This is because as you exercise, you strengthen your cardiovascular system.
Heart rate: Blood pressure recovery is faster in people with lower resting heart rates. Lower resting heart rate is also associated with good health and a lesser risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.
Smoking: Smoking increases blood pressure and heart rate. It is also found to increase blood pressure recovery times after exercise.
Age: In older people, blood pressure spikes after exercise take a longer time to decrease than in younger people.
Obesity: Obesity is linked to a risk of cardiovascular diseases. People who are overweight or obese tend to take longer to recover from blood pressure spikes after exercise.
An overall fitness plan targeted to your body type is an effective way to control blood pressure. Aerobic exercises are very effective at controlling high blood pressure. Aerobic exercises increase your heart and breathing rate gradually, and this makes your heart stronger, in the long run, reducing blood pressure. Aerobic exercises include running or jogging, jump rope, and exercising on the elliptical machine.
Increase the intensity of exercise gradually. If you feel any trouble like shortness of breath, an irregular heartbeat, or dizziness, stop immediately and consult a doctor.
Weight training can have long-term benefits in controlling blood pressure. Hypertensive people are usually asked to avoid lifting weights, as it causes a high increase in blood pressure. Weight training is a high-intensity workout and can lead to major spikes in blood pressure. This is a temporary risk. If done correctly, weight training can be beneficial in the long run.
While including weight training in your regular exercise plan,
- Use proper form and technique to minimize injury.
- Breathe easily and consistently, don’t hold your breath
- Don’t strain yourself too much. Stop the activity if you feel any unbearable pressure or pain.
- Lifting heavier weights might be more strenuous. Instead, opt for lighter weights and increase the number of repetitions.
Before adding weight training to your exercise plan, if you’re hypertensive, talk to your doctor to come up with a suitable plan that can help you.
https://www.healthline.com/health/blood-pressure-after-exercise#effects
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/are-my-blood-pressure-and-heart-rate-changing-normally-during-exercise
https://www.verywellhealth.com/should-my-blood-pressure-be-12080-even-after-exercise-1764088
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17938376/
https://benthamopen.com/contents/pdf/VDP/VDP-6-56.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4738943/
Our muscles are divided into three major types, which include smooth, cardiac, and skeletal muscles. When people talk about building muscle, it is usually referred to the skeletal muscles.
Skeletal muscles are attached to the bones by tendons. Skeletal muscles undergo voluntary movement along with the bones. When the muscles are continually challenged to deal with resistance and weight, the muscle fibers undergo trauma, and this results in injuries. Satellite cells, a type of cells present outside the muscle fibers, are activated when your muscles are injured. These damaged muscle fibers are fused together and repaired by the satellite cells. This increases the mass and size of muscles.
Apart from challenging your muscle, certain hormones help build muscle too. These hormones include testosterone, human growth hormone, and insulin growth factor. The hormones help build muscle by
- Activating satellite cells
- Inhibiting protein breakdown
- Managing muscle mass and repairing muscle cells
- Stimulating other hormones that promote muscle growth and protein synthesis
- Enhancing tissue growth
- Forming new blood capillaries
The best way to improve muscle mass is through exercise. Diet also plays a role in building muscle mass.
Resistance and strength training is highly recommended to increase muscle mass. Aerobic exercises also contribute towards muscle building. They stimulate the release of growth hormone from the pituitary gland. The amount of hormone varies with the intensity of exercise. Growth hormone increases your metabolism and aids in protein formation from amino acids to build more muscle. Training also stimulates the release of testosterone and improves the sensitivity of muscles to testosterone.
Testosterone, the male sex hormone, plays a significant role in muscle building. Men have more amounts of this hormone than women. They might be able to build muscle at a faster rate, but muscle building does not depend only on testosterone. There are also various other factors that decide muscle building. Studies have shown that men and women respond in similar ways to strength training.
Muscle building varies depending on the body shape. A personalized training program that caters to the body shape can help build muscle at an optimal rate. The different body shapes are:
1. Mesomorphic: People with this type are generally more muscular and can build muscle at very fast rates.
2. Ectomorphic: People with this type usually have a slim or straight frame and cannot build muscle at very fast rates. They can gradually build muscle and strength through resistance training.
3. Endomorphic: People with type usually have a rounded or curvy frame. This body type also has a high tendency to store fat. Training focus should be on losing fat and gradually building muscle through strength and resistance training.
Several genes have been studied in relation to muscle building. Genes can determine how easy or difficult it is to build muscle mass up to a certain extent. Genetics influences your body type, muscle composition, and your response to diet and training.
The IGF1 gene encodes a protein called Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1. IGF1 is an anabolic hormone that stimulates the growth of muscle, bone, and several other tissues in the body. It stimulates protein-building processes. This hormone aids in muscle building through a process called hypertrophy. Hypertrophy refers to the increase in muscle mass through exercise. Variations in this gene can determine how easy or difficult it is to build muscle.
rs35767
rs35767 is an SNP in the IGF1 gene. The minor allele, the T allele, is found to be associated with higher levels of circulating IGF1 and an increase in muscle mass compared to the C allele.
The best way to build muscle is through consistent, challenging, and long-term training. This will help you achieve the best results and build muscle mass.
Strength and resistance training
Strength and resistance training, at least twice a week, is highly recommended to build muscle. This training includes weight lifting, bodyweight exercises, using resistance bands. Increase your training volume gradually.
Aerobic exercises
Cardiovascular training is also essential to build muscle. While it might not have the same effect as strength training, aerobic exercises strengthen your heart and respiratory system. It increases your overall exercise capacity and can help reduce the risk of injury.
Talk to a trainer to develop the best workout plan for your body type aimed at building muscle mass. The right exercises and diet are beneficial.
Rest periods
Adequate rest periods in between workouts are very important to give your muscles time to repair. Muscles need to recover from all the resistance and injury caused during exercise. Without sufficient rest, the risk of injury is higher, and your fitness progression will also slow down.
Healthy diet
A healthy diet with a good source of protein will fuel your workout and build muscle. Protein-rich foods with the amino acid leucine are recommended. These include poultry, beef, lamb, eggs, milk products, and non-animal products like soybean, beans, nuts, and certain seeds.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23022740/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20490824/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23850449/
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-it-take-to-build-muscle#TOC_TITLE_HDR_1
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319151
Our muscles are divided into three major types, which include smooth, cardiac, and skeletal muscles. When people talk about building muscle, it is usually referred to the skeletal muscles.
Skeletal muscles are attached to the bones by tendons. Skeletal muscles undergo voluntary movement along with the bones. When the muscles are continually challenged to deal with resistance and weight, the muscle fibers undergo trauma, and this results in injuries. Satellite cells, a type of cells present outside the muscle fibers, are activated when your muscles are injured. These damaged muscle fibers are fused together and repaired by the satellite cells. This increases the mass and size of muscles.
Apart from challenging your muscle, certain hormones help build muscle too. These hormones include testosterone, human growth hormone, and insulin growth factor. The hormones help build muscle by
- Activating satellite cells
- Inhibiting protein breakdown
- Managing muscle mass and repairing muscle cells
- Stimulating other hormones that promote muscle growth and protein synthesis
- Enhancing tissue growth
- Forming new blood capillaries
Genes related to muscle growth are candidates for gene doping. Manipulating these genes can make athletes gain muscle mass at a faster pace. Gene doping is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). There are other natural ways to gain muscle.
Several genes have been studied in relation to muscle growth. Genes can determine how easy or difficult it is to build muscle mass up to a certain extent. Genetics influences your body type, muscle composition, and your response to diet and training.
Myostatin is a member of the transforming growth factor b (TGF- b) family, which is one of the regulating factors in the body. The MSTN gene is primarily expressed in skeletal muscle cells. It is regarded as a negative regulator of muscle growth, as it functions to inhibit myogenesis: muscle cell growth and differentiation. Many research studies on animals and humans have shown that overexpression of the MSTN gene has been associated with reduced muscle, while its inhibition leads to muscle hypertrophy and /or hyperplasia.
rs1805086
The rs1805086 polymorphism is located in exon 2 of the MSTN gene. Studies have shown that AG genotype is associated with worse performance while GG genotype is associated with better performance.
Age: With age, muscular strength reduces. A decrease in the cross-sectional area of muscle fibers and amount of tissue is observed in older people. Regular training and training started at an early age can help build and maintain muscle mass.
Limb length: People with shorter limbs find it easier to lift weights and do certain exercises compared to taller people. People with longer limbs also have advantages. They are better are overhead presses and deadlifts. Training suited to your body type, and limb length is essential for optimal results.
The best way to build muscle is through consistent, challenging, and long-term training. This will help you achieve the best results and build muscle mass.
Strength and resistance training
Strength and resistance training, at least twice a week, is highly recommended to build muscle. This training includes weight lifting, bodyweight exercises, using resistance bands. Increase your training volume gradually.
Aerobic exercises
Cardiovascular training is also essential to build muscle. While it might not have the same effect as strength training, aerobic exercises strengthen your heart and respiratory system. It increases your overall exercise capacity and can help reduce the risk of injury.
Talk to a trainer to develop the best workout plan for your body type aimed at building muscle mass. The right exercises and diet are beneficial.
Rest periods
Adequate rest periods in between workouts are very important to give your muscles time to repair. Muscles need to recover from all the resistance and injury caused during exercise. Without sufficient rest, the risk of injury is higher, and your fitness progression will also slow down.
Healthy diet
A healthy diet with a good source of protein will fuel your workout and build muscle. Protein-rich foods with the amino acid leucine are recommended. These include poultry, beef, lamb, eggs, milk products, and non-animal products like soybean, beans, nuts, and certain seeds.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23022740/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20490824/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3024427/
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-it-take-to-build-muscle#TOC_TITLE_HDR_1
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319151
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/mstn/
