Lean muscle mass

What is lean muscle mass?

Lean muscle mass is an important concept related to body composition - the amount of fat, bone, and muscle that makes up the human body. Here are some key things to understand about lean muscle mass:

What does "lean" mean?

• Lean muscle refers to muscle that has little to no fat within the muscle tissue. Building lean muscle helps shed fat while still growing stronger. It is not the same as gaining a lot of bulk or mass.

Why is lean muscle mass important?

Lean muscle mass provides many benefits:

• Helps stabilize blood sugar levels - More lean muscle means more spots for glucose to be stored as glycogen in the muscles. This can help prevent diabetes and metabolic disease.


• Boosts metabolism - Muscle burns more calories than fat. More lean muscle means you can eat more without gaining fat. The more lean muscle, the easier it is to lose and manage weight.


• Supports bone health - The contraction of muscles during strength training helps build bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.

How can you build lean muscle mass?

• Resistance training - Lifting weights provides the mechanical tension and microtears to muscle fibers that prompts growth and increased strength.


• Protein intake - Consuming adequate protein (0.5-1 gram per pound of body weight daily) gives muscles the amino acids they need to repair and grow. Second Spring Hormone Clinic() recommends hormone optimization and testing to ensure you absorb protein efficiently.


• Sleep - Deep sleep triggers the release of human growth hormone (HGH) which facilitates muscle recovery and growth.


• Progressive overload - Slowly increasing the intensity and volume of training over time continues challenging muscles for further growth.

How is lean muscle mass measured?

• The most accurate methods are:
  
  
  • DEXA scans - Use dual energy X-ray technology to differentiate lean mass, fat mass, and bone density.
  
  
  • Hydrostatic weighing - Calculates lean body mass based on underwater weight and lung volume.
  
  

Building lean muscle through diet, exercise, sleep, and optimizing hormones leads to many health and fitness benefits. Check with your doctor to ensure your training plan aligns with your health goals. And for holistic hormone optimization, schedule a (/consultation)!