Does Fish Oil Supplementation Impact Recovery?

The fish oil supplement has drawn a lot of attention due to its health benefits. In particular, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation has shown beneficial effects on blood pressure, triglycerides, and heart rate

In addition, they have been shown to improve arterial dilation, have anti-arrhythmic and anti-inflammatory properties. All of this has been shown to have a protective effect against the development of cardiovascular disease

However, less is known about the role of fish oil supplement in recovery from strength training.

A 2020 paper2 by VanDusseldorp et al. Get to work on researching the effects of fish oil supplementation on various indicators of recovery after a strenuous bout of eccentric exercise

A 2020 paper3 by Heileson et al. found that the minimum effective dose for the fish oil supplement to elicit a positive recovery response was 2 g supplemented for at least four weeks.3 However, research has been contradicting what the appropriate dosage should be.

Therefore, in the aforementioned article by VanDusseldorp and colleagues, the dosage between the groups was set at 2g, 4g, and 6g, and the effects of a seven-week protocol of supplementing fish oil were examined. This paper looked at a well-controlled study: 2

"Use of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind experiment; Participants were randomly selected to consume 2- (2G), 4- (4G), or 6- (6G) g / day of either FO or placebo (PL) supplement for ~ 7.5 weeks (8 participants per group (4 men and 4 women per group); a 6-week enema in the supplementation period, a week of familiarization tests at the beginning of the week and experimental tests at the end of the week, and three days of recovery tests). Muscle soreness, venous blood (to assess creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and muscle function indices were assessed prior to eccentric exercise and immediately after 1, 2, 4, 24, 48, and 72 hours (H) after exercise The participants continued to add until they reached the 72-hour time point. "2

  1. Participants completed eccentric squats on a Smith machine at a pace of 4-0-1 for ten sets of eight repetitions each with 70% of their 1RM and three minutes of rest between sets.
  2. In addition, participants had to complete five sets of twenty split jump squats with body weight.
  3. The primary metrics used to assess muscle damage and recovery were blood biomarkers, perceived pain, vertical jump, agility test, 40 yard sprint, and maximum voluntary isometric contraction.

The researchers observed that 6 grams of fish oil supplement had a beneficial effect on perceived muscle soreness.

The participants reported lower pain values ​​at all measurement times. The 6 g group also decreased the recovery time from vertical jump performance. In some cases, this also resulted in better blood counts when monitoring indirect markers of muscle damage compared to the other controls.

What does that mean in practice? Although the researchers found a beneficial effect on recovery from consuming 6 g / day of fish oil, the magnitude of the effect was still relatively small. Therefore, a cost-benefit analysis should be the basis for deciding whether to use this strategy.

I don't usually recommend many supplements to individuals.

However, from a health perspective, I generally find fish oil supplementation beneficial. If you choose to take it for this reason, you may also notice some minor benefits of improved recovery.

If you want a comprehensive analysis of primary recovery strategies and how to use them effectively for better results, I finally covered them on Kabuki Strength.4

References

1. "Effects of B Vitamins and Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Cardiovascular Disease: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study." BMJ. 2010; 341: c6273. Accessed March 17, 2021.

2. Trisha A. VanDusseldorp, Kurt A. Escobar, Kelly E. Johnson, Matthew T. Stratton, Terence Moriarty, Chad M. Kerksick, Gerald T. Mangine, Alyssa J. Holmes, Matthew Lee, Marvin R. Endito and Christine M. Mermier, "Influence of Different Dosages of Fish Oil on Recovery and Pain After Eccentric Exercise." Nutrients, US National Library of Medicine, NIH. Published online July 27, 2020. Accessed March 16, 2021.

3. Heileson JL, Funderburk LK. "The Effect of Fish Oil Supplement on Promotion and Maintenance of Lean Body Mass, Strength, and Recovery from Physiological Stress in Young, Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review." Nutr Rev. 2020, December 1; 78 (12): 1001-1014.

4. Daniel Debrocke, "Optimize Your Recovery For Maximum Strength." Online Kabuki Strength, accessed March 16, 2021.

Does Fish Oil Supplementation Impact Recovery?

The fish oil supplement has drawn a lot of attention due to its health benefits. In particular, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation has shown beneficial effects on blood pressure, triglycerides, and heart rate

In addition, they have been shown to improve arterial dilation, have anti-arrhythmic and anti-inflammatory properties. All of this has been shown to have a protective effect against the development of cardiovascular disease

However, less is known about the role of fish oil supplement in recovery from strength training.

A 2020 paper2 by VanDusseldorp et al. studied the effects of fish oil supplementation on various markers of recovery after a strenuous bout of eccentric exercise. 2

A 2020 paper3 by Heileson et al. found that the minimum effective dose for the fish oil supplement to elicit a positive recovery response was 2 g supplemented for at least four weeks.3 However, research has been contradicting what the appropriate dosage should be.

Therefore, in the aforementioned article by VanDusseldorp and colleagues, the dosage between the groups was set at 2g, 4g and 6g and the effects of a seven-week protocol of supplementing fish oil were examined. This paper looked at a well-controlled study: 2

"Use of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind experiment; Participants were randomly selected to consume 2- (2G), 4- (4G), or 6- (6G) g / day either FO or placebo (PL) supplement for ~ 7.5 weeks (8 participants per group (4 men and 4 women per group); a 6-week enema in the supplementation period, a week of familiarization tests at the beginning of the week and experimental tests at the end of the week, and three days of recovery tests). Muscle soreness, venous blood (to assess creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and muscle function indices were measured before eccentric training and immediately after 1, 2, 4, 24, 48 and 72 hours (H) after Training. Participants continued to add until they reached the 72-hour time point. "2

  1. Participants completed eccentric squats on a Smith machine at a pace of 4-0-1 for ten sets of eight repetitions each with 70% of their 1RM and three minutes of rest between sets.
  2. In addition, participants had to complete five sets of twenty split jump squats with body weight.
  3. The primary metrics used to assess muscle damage and recovery were blood biomarkers, perceived pain, vertical jump, agility test, 40 yard sprint, and maximum voluntary isometric contraction.

The researchers observed that 6 grams of fish oil supplement had a beneficial effect on perceived muscle soreness.

The participants reported lower pain values ​​at all measurement times. The 6 g group also decreased the recovery time from vertical jump performance. In some cases, this also resulted in better blood counts when monitoring indirect markers of muscle damage compared to the other controls.

What does that mean in practice? Although the researchers found a beneficial effect on recovery from consuming 6 g / day of fish oil, the magnitude of the effect was still relatively small. Therefore, a cost-benefit analysis should be the basis for deciding whether to use this strategy.

I don't usually recommend many supplements to individuals.

However, from a health perspective, I generally find fish oil supplementation beneficial. If you choose to take it for this reason, you may also notice some minor benefits of improved recovery.

If you want a comprehensive analysis of primary recovery strategies and how to use them effectively for better results, I finally covered them on Kabuki Strength.4

References

1. "Effects of B Vitamins and Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Cardiovascular Disease: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study." BMJ. 2010; 341: c6273. Accessed March 17, 2021.

2. Trisha A. VanDusseldorp, Kurt A. Escobar, Kelly E. Johnson, Matthew T. Stratton, Terence Moriarty, Chad M. Kerksick, Gerald T. Mangine, Alyssa J. Holmes, Matthew Lee, Marvin R. Endito and Christine M. Mermier, "Influence of Different Dosages of Fish Oil on Recovery and Pain After Eccentric Exercise." Nutrients, US National Library of Medicine, NIH. Published online July 27, 2020. Accessed March 16, 2021.

3. Heileson JL, Funderburk LK. "The Effect of Fish Oil Supplement on Promotion and Maintenance of Lean Body Mass, Strength, and Recovery from Physiological Stress in Young, Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review." Nutr Rev. 2020, December 1; 78 (12): 1001-1014.

4. Daniel Debrocke, "Optimize Your Recovery For Maximum Strength." Online Kabuki Strength, accessed March 16, 2021.

Understanding How Carbs Can Impact Performance

Carbohydrates are a macronutrient, ie a larger class of nutrients that (mostly have to be obtained externally). Carbohydrates are often mistaken for sugar.

Yes, sugar is a carbohydrate. However, spinach consists mainly of water and fiber, but is also considered a carbohydrate. In short, understanding what carbohydrates are, along with their classes and uses, can lead an athlete or athlete to consume the carbohydrates that help them do their best.

Carbohydrates 101

Carbohydrates are carbon and hydrogen molecules. They are divided into sugar (digestible) and fiber (somewhat indigestible). Examples of digestible forms are:

Understand how carbohydrates can affect performance - fitness, fitness, gluten-free, inflammation, glycemic index, cardiovascular disease, sugar alcohols, fiber, digestion, blood sugar

Non-digestible forms of carbohydrates include soluble and insoluble fibers. For the athlete or ordinary athlete, understanding how the balance between grains, legumes, and vegetables plays a role in proper nutrition can help them make better decisions.

Simple and complex sugars are found in most of the foods we eat, such as:

  • oats
  • fruit
  • rice
  • Potatoes

Sugar additive and sugar alcohols are made from simple and complex sugars to meet your needs. An example of added sugar can be::

These added sugars and sugar alcohols are best avoided or limited due to their association with cardiovascular diseases.

Sugar alcohols, which are often found in fermented products such as beer, have no calories and are associated with weight gain. According to this understanding, carbohydrates have a significant metabolic effect on the human body.

Carbohydrates and humans

The human brain alone consumes 40% of the glucose in the human body (a simple sugar). Muscle tissue has a simple sugar store called glycogen, and therefore power loss suffers without enough carbohydrates. What could be more important to you as a reader is the impact on your daily training and which carbohydrates work well at what times. Three things to label to use carbohydrates effectively:

  1. Glycemic index
  2. Gastric emptying time
  3. Sensitivity and timing

People usually have an excellent tolerance for various forms of carbohydrates. Therefore, diversifying your carbohydrate intake is critical to longevity.

Carbohydrate sensitivity

I am predisposed to celiac disease. So much so that my favorite carb source is gluten-free rice cream. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease (the body fights against itself) in which the digestion of wheat-based products damages the intestinal / gastrointestinal tract (GI), especially inflammation due to gluten.

The sensitivity to carbohydrates doesn't have to be that high, but we understand that in terms of ease of digestion The high glycemic index (which causes an increase in blood sugar) is usually transported quickly through the body. In contrast, foods with a low to medium GI stay longer in the GI tract.

Still, people often don't think of foods that offer the best return on digesting glycogen stores and digestibility. Sensitivity is best done piece by piece. Try three low-carbohydrates, such as:

  • oats
  • Jasmine rice
  • sweet potato

Understand how carbohydrates can affect performance - fitness, fitness, gluten-free, inflammation, glycemic index, cardiovascular disease, sugar alcohols, fiber, digestion, blood sugar

Use this source as a carbohydrate source for 48 hours. Record flatulence, energy levels, and power exhaustion, and do so with alternative sources of carbohydrates. Ultimately, carbohydrates are your ideal, giving you the best pump in the gym, enforcing performance, promoting proper digestion without bloating, and being easily accepted by the body. For those interested, insulin sensitivity goes hand in hand with carbohydrate sensitivity.

Carbohydrates and gastric happiness

The gastric emptying time refers to how quickly the stomach and intestines can move food. This movement is typically measured using ultrasound in isolated environments such as a doctor's office. Gastric emptying is affected by the type of food consumed. For example, protein needs more energy to be metabolized, but is broken down into fast-digesting and slow-digesting ones, like whey protein versus casein. This also applies to carbohydrates.

Most foods with a high glycemic index, such as jasmine rice, move quickly through the colon. For science fans, dextrose and amylopectin are examples of quick-digestible carbohydrates, which are longer-chain carbohydrates typically found in supplement powders.

Slowly digestible carbohydrates have a low or medium GI. An example would be a sweet potato. This rate of digestion is important for the timing of meals. You don't want to have a slow digestible carbohydrate closer to a workout, which can mean 30 or even 120 minutes before a workout.

Carb timing

As previously mentioned, the Cari Timing Peri workout is vital for athletes and typical athletes because of their training. Longer workouts benefit from quickly digestible carbohydrates before exercise and a combination of fast and slow carbohydrates after exercise, especially when the next meal is a significant amount of time away (4+ hours). This is because during exercise, the body expresses a protein called insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF-1), which increases the human body's sensitivity to insulin release. This is important for nutrition than the faster digestible carbohydrate; The faster muscle glycogen can be recovered.

However, this is different based on the amount of adipose tissue in the individual. Therefore, for example, diabetics who have overweight, faster-to-digest carbohydrates may not be the right choice before exercise because the body is not prepared to promote lipolysis. Instead, the incoming carbohydrates are used to promote training.

Get advice from a trainer and an endocrinologist on where you are. Nutritionists and dieticians are helpful, but do not seek sports nutritionists or dieticians who specialize in sports nutrition for the general public.

A friendly carb PSA

Myth number 1: Carbohydrates before bed are helpful.

This is one of the most nonsensical things I've heard for athletes and people who exercise consistently 4-8 days a week. As mentioned earlier, high GI foods like pop tarts or jasmine rice pump your bloodstream with glucose right before bed. This scenario would be great if you want to do a nightly competition, but not before bed for an average healthy sleeper, as discussed by Afgahi et al., 2007.

Myth # 2: Carbohydrates are bad.

Carbohydrates are structural and energy producing machines, non-responders, please leave the conversation. Even vegans have carbohydrates, and my good colleague Alexa, an aspiring health and nutrition trainer, agrees. Aside from carbohydrates, protein can come from things like grains, sprouts, and germs (nutritionally dense and full of carbohydrates).

Myth No. 3: Carbohydrates make me fat.

As mentioned earlier, the problem is insulin sensitivity and not an isolated problem of Mother Nature's fuel source. The training increases insulin sensitivity as well as constant steady-state cardio and (which enables biomechanics) high-intensity cardio such as jump rope or sled thrusts for intervals.

A final and important note

All processed carbohydrates are bad. Have you seen how to make gluten free rice cream?

If you're interested in vegan approaches to food and carbohydrates, please follow Alexa Pizzarello on Instagram.

Lift with love, my friends.

Understanding How Carbs Can Impact Performance

Carbohydrates are a macronutrient, ie a larger class of nutrients that (mostly have to be obtained externally). Carbohydrates are often mistaken for sugar.

Yes, sugar is a carbohydrate. However, spinach consists mainly of water and fiber, but is also considered a carbohydrate. In short, understanding what carbohydrates are, along with their classes and uses, can lead an athlete or athlete to consume the carbohydrates that help them do their best.

Carbohydrates 101

Carbohydrates are carbon and hydrogen molecules. They are divided into sugar (digestible) and fiber (somewhat indigestible). Examples of digestible forms are:

Understand how carbohydrates can affect performance - fitness, fitness, gluten-free, inflammation, glycemic index, cardiovascular disease, sugar alcohols, fiber, digestion, blood sugar

Non-digestible forms of carbohydrates include soluble and insoluble fibers. For the athlete or ordinary athlete, understanding how the balance between grains, legumes, and vegetables plays a role in proper nutrition can help them make better decisions.

Simple and complex sugars are found in most of the foods we eat, such as:

  • oats
  • fruit
  • rice
  • Potatoes

Sugar additive and sugar alcohols are made from simple and complex sugars to meet your needs. An example of added sugar can be::

These added sugars and sugar alcohols are best avoided or limited due to their association with cardiovascular diseases.

Sugar alcohols, which are often found in fermented products such as beer, have no calories and are associated with weight gain. According to this understanding, carbohydrates have a significant metabolic effect on the human body.

Carbohydrates and humans

The human brain alone consumes 40% of the glucose in the human body (a simple sugar). Muscle tissue has a simple sugar store called glycogen, and therefore power loss suffers without enough carbohydrates. What could be more important to you as a reader is the impact on your daily training and which carbohydrates work well at what times. Three things to label to use carbohydrates effectively:

  1. Glycemic index
  2. Gastric emptying time
  3. Sensitivity and timing

People usually have an excellent tolerance for various forms of carbohydrates. Therefore, diversifying your carbohydrate intake is critical to longevity.

Carbohydrate sensitivity

I am predisposed to celiac disease. So much so that my favorite carb source is gluten-free rice cream. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease (the body fights against itself) in which the digestion of wheat-based products damages the intestinal / gastrointestinal tract (GI), especially inflammation due to gluten.

The sensitivity to carbohydrates doesn't have to be that high, but we understand that in terms of ease of digestion The high glycemic index (which causes an increase in blood sugar) is usually transported quickly through the body. In contrast, foods with a low to medium GI stay longer in the GI tract.

Still, people often don't think of foods that offer the best return on digesting glycogen stores and digestibility. Sensitivity is best done piece by piece. Try three low-carbohydrates, such as:

  • oats
  • Jasmine rice
  • sweet potato

Understand how carbohydrates can affect performance - fitness, fitness, gluten-free, inflammation, glycemic index, cardiovascular disease, sugar alcohols, fiber, digestion, blood sugar

Use this source as a carbohydrate source for 48 hours. Record flatulence, energy levels, and power exhaustion, and do so with alternative sources of carbohydrates. Ultimately, carbohydrates are your ideal, giving you the best pump in the gym, enforcing performance, promoting proper digestion without bloating, and being easily accepted by the body. For those interested, insulin sensitivity goes hand in hand with carbohydrate sensitivity.

Carbohydrates and gastric happiness

The gastric emptying time refers to how quickly the stomach and intestines can move food. This movement is typically measured using ultrasound in isolated environments such as a doctor's office. Gastric emptying is affected by the type of food consumed. For example, protein needs more energy to be metabolized, but is broken down into fast-digesting and slow-digesting ones, like whey protein versus casein. This also applies to carbohydrates.

Most foods with a high glycemic index, such as jasmine rice, move quickly through the colon. For science fans, dextrose and amylopectin are examples of quick-digestible carbohydrates, which are longer-chain carbohydrates typically found in supplement powders.

Slowly digestible carbohydrates have a low or medium GI. An example would be a sweet potato. This rate of digestion is important for the timing of meals. You don't want to have a slow digestible carbohydrate closer to a workout, which can mean 30 or even 120 minutes before a workout.

Carb timing

As previously mentioned, the Cari Timing Peri workout is vital for athletes and typical athletes because of their training. Longer workouts benefit from quickly digestible carbohydrates before exercise and a combination of fast and slow carbohydrates after exercise, especially when the next meal is a significant amount of time away (4+ hours). This is because during exercise, the body expresses a protein called insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF-1), which increases the human body's sensitivity to insulin release. This is important for nutrition than the faster digestible carbohydrate; The faster muscle glycogen can be recovered.

However, this is different based on the amount of adipose tissue in the individual. Therefore, for example, diabetics who have overweight, faster-to-digest carbohydrates may not be the right choice before exercise because the body is not prepared to promote lipolysis. Instead, the incoming carbohydrates are used to promote training.

Get advice from a trainer and an endocrinologist on where you are. Nutritionists and dieticians are helpful, but do not seek sports nutritionists or dieticians who specialize in sports nutrition for the general public.

A friendly carb PSA

Myth number 1: Carbohydrates before bed are helpful.

This is one of the most nonsensical things I've heard for athletes and people who exercise consistently 4-8 days a week. As mentioned earlier, high GI foods like pop tarts or jasmine rice pump your bloodstream with glucose right before bed. This scenario would be great if you want to do a nightly competition, but not before bed for an average healthy sleeper, as discussed by Afgahi et al., 2007.

Myth # 2: Carbohydrates are bad.

Carbohydrates are structural and energy producing machines, non-responders, please leave the conversation. Even vegans have carbohydrates, and my good colleague Alexa, an aspiring health and nutrition trainer, agrees. Aside from carbohydrates, protein can come from things like grains, sprouts, and germs (nutritionally dense and full of carbohydrates).

Myth No. 3: Carbohydrates make me fat.

As mentioned earlier, the problem is insulin sensitivity and not an isolated problem of Mother Nature's fuel source. The training increases insulin sensitivity as well as constant steady-state cardio and (which enables biomechanics) high-intensity cardio such as jump rope or sled thrusts for intervals.

A final and important note

All processed carbohydrates are bad. Have you seen how to make gluten free rice cream?

If you're interested in vegan approaches to food and carbohydrates, please follow Alexa Pizzarello on Instagram.

Lift with love, my friends.

Does Low Estrogen in Women Impact Muscle Mass and Performance?

Does Low Estrogen Level Affect Muscle Mass and Performance in Women? - Fitness, fitness, body fat, recovery, menopause, inflammation, estrogen, phytoestrogens, protein synthesis, breast cancer, anorexia

What comes to mind first when you think of anabolic hormones?

It's probably not the estrogen hormone. However, some recent studies reported that female sex hormones are vital to muscle mass, strength, and even post-workout recovery.

Suboptimal estrogen levels are a common cause of muscle weakness and loss of muscle mass in women. Losing muscle can cause poor physical performance in the gym and competitions for no apparent reason.

What are the common causes of low estrogen levels? Who is at risk How do estrogens affect the muscles?

Let's sort the details one by one.

Common causes of low estrogen levels in women

Studies and statistics show that the main causes of hypoestrogenism (low estrogen) in women are:

Of course, age is the most common cause of low estrogen levels. Estrogen levels naturally decrease in women from the age of perimenopause (on average 47.5 years). Menopause begins at around 50 to 52 years of age, and then the symptoms of low estrogen levels appear.

However, about 1% of women start menopause much earlier. This condition is known as primary ovarian failure or premature menopause and can manifest itself before the age of 40. Early menopause is not just a question of physical fitness in the gym.

It also increases the risk of a number of dangerous diseases and even increases the likelihood of premature death.

For this reason, many women around the world are looking for hormonal solutions to keep their estrogen levels healthy – either through conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or through herbal alternatives such as phytoestrogens.

Aside from premature menopause, how does estrogen affect physical performance?

Does Low Estrogen Level Affect Muscle Mass and Performance in Women? - Fitness, fitness, body fat, recovery, menopause, inflammation, estrogen, phytoestrogens, protein synthesis, breast cancer, anorexia

Are estrogen and physical performance linked?

Estrogen promotes muscle regeneration and regeneration. First, estrogen plays an essential role in muscle regeneration. Several studies reported that estrogen:

  • Damp muscle damage caused by exercise
  • Soothe muscle inflammation after exercise
  • Improve the healing of micro-injuries in the muscles
  • Stimulate the growth of atrophied muscle mass

This is an impressive list. But how is that possible?

Not all details are clear on this matter, however It appears that estrogen can stabilize the membranes of muscle cells and significantly reduce local oxidative stress.

This helps prevent major muscle damage (including exercise-related losses) and accelerate the recovery of existing injuries.

Estrogen promotes muscle growth

Let's make that clear: none of the body's estrogens is an anabolic hormone in the traditional sense of the word. You cannot inject estradiol and expect your muscle mass to double in a few weeks. It doesn't work that way.

However, studies have shown that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with estrogens leads to muscle growth in postmenopausal women. Instead of directly increasing muscle growth (like testosterone and DHT), estrogen increases the effect of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1).

This is why women tend to lose muscle mass as they approach menopause. This is also the reason why both HRT and phytoestrogens are a fabulous but little-known method of preventing muscle and performance loss in women with under-optimal estrogen levels.

Estrogen somewhat increases muscle strength

Most likely, you already know that muscle tissue consists of two types of muscle fibers – actin and myosin. One of the factors that determine the strength of a particular muscle is the strength of the bond between its actin and the myosin filaments.

Studies have shown that this is one of the effects of estrogen on muscle tissue. Estrogen somewhat strengthens the connection between myosin and actin fibers in the muscle, which leads to a slight increase in physical strength.

Fixation of low estrogen levels

The first and most important step in restoring your estrogen is to find and treat the cause of your condition.

For example, if you suspect that your estrogen waste is due to chronic stress, rest and try to solve your most pressing problems as soon as possible. Most likely, eliminating your stress would result in a good rise in estrogen levels.

And yet the solution is rarely that simple. In most cases, the only way to permanently resolve a low estrogen problem is to start HRT or use natural phytoestrogens.

But how effective is this approach?

A study examined the effect of HRT on physical performance and muscle mass in 15 pairs of identical twins. All women were between 54 and 62 years old, so these are hormonal changes in the menopause and after the menopause.

For each pair of twins, one woman took conventional HRT hormones and the other twin received no menopause therapy (conventional or otherwise).

After seven years of this treatment, the twin taking HRT took:

Some other studies on the relationship between HRT and strength, muscle mass, and physical performance in women reported that HRT:

  1. Promotes muscle synthesis
  2. Increases muscle strength (measured by running speed and vertical jump height)

But wait a second, don't go out and stuff yourself with estrogens. These effects were primarily observed when a woman has little estrogen. If you are a healthy woman with normal estrogen levels, you don't have to look for HRT.

This diagnosis is particularly relevant because HRT can only be obtained with a prescription and is so serious that it can be monitored continuously and even then has some side effects. In some cases, the side effects can be as serious as an increased risk of breast cancer.

That is why so many women use phytoestrogens as a natural HRT alternative.

Phytoestrogens as an HRT alternative

In short, phytoestrogens are herbal substances that act similarly to the estrogens that the human body produces. Women around the world have used various sources of phytoestrogens to relieve menopause symptoms before doctors even knew what menopause was.

Now women who are approaching their 40s have another good reason to look for additional phytoestrogens in their diet: to support physical performance and prevent loss of muscle mass during menopause.

Do you need a quick shopping list? Here are some of the richest (and most delicious) food sources for phytoestrogens::

  • All soy products, except soy sauce (soybeans, tofu, soy milk)
  • Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans)
  • Berries, especially colored red and pink (strawberries, cranberries, raspberries)
  • Red grapes and red wine
  • parsley
  • Alfalfa sprouts
  • Dried fruit
  • Sesame seeds

If you don't want to change anything in your diet, you can also take supplements or use skin care products with phytoestrogens such as serums and creams.

The latter approach is particularly suitable for athletes, since the lion's share of the phytoestrogens acts locally on the skin and muscles.

One of the world's strongest sources of phytoestrogens is, for example, Pueraria Mirifica, a Thai plant that native women have used as an elixir of youth for centuries.

By using a skin care product with Pueraria Mirifica, you can improve local muscle regeneration and support the moisture and elasticity of the skin. Double action, double advantages.

Note that Pueraria Mirifica can slightly increase breast size due to its high estrogen content. So keep that in mind when you apply it to your chest area to support your pectoral muscles.

The bottom line

Although this fact remains unknown to most athletes, coaches, and even health professionals, low estrogen levels have a major impact on a woman's strength, muscle mass, and recovery rates after exercise.

If you are a woman approaching your 40s and you think you may be dealing with a case of suboptimal estrogen, ask your doctor to do some tests and discuss your treatment options.

However, keep in mind that you don't have to drive your estrogen levels through the roof for performance in the gym or even general health.

While estrogen is great for the health and performance of your bones and muscles, studies have found this out Excessive estrogen levels can make your tendons and ligaments weaker and more prone to injury.

So moderation is the key. Low estrogen levels are probably as bad as high ones.

An excellent first step to getting your estrogen back to normal would be to eat more sources of phytoestrogens like soy and other legumes. If you want to promote local recovery after physical activity, try applying a topical skin care product. Any source of phytoestrogens will work well, but Pueraria Mirifica is probably the least expensive option.

Does Low Estrogen in Women Impact Muscle Mass and Performance?

It's probably not the estrogen hormone. However, some recent studies reported that female sex hormones are vital to muscle mass, strength, and even post-workout recovery.

Suboptimal estrogen levels are a common cause of muscle weakness and loss of muscle mass in women. Losing muscle can cause poor physical performance in the gym and competitions for no apparent reason.

What are the common causes of low estrogen levels? Who is at risk How do estrogens affect the muscles?

Let's sort the details one by one.

Common causes of low estrogen levels in women

Studies and statistics show that the main causes of hypoestrogenism (low estrogen) in women are:

Of course, age is the most common cause of low estrogen levels. Estrogen levels naturally decrease in women from the age of perimenopause (on average 47.5 years). Menopause begins at around 50 to 52 years of age, and then the symptoms of low estrogen levels appear.

However, about 1% of women start menopause much earlier. This condition is known as primary ovarian failure or premature menopause and can manifest itself before the age of 40. Early menopause is not just a question of physical fitness in the gym. It also increases the risk of a number of dangerous diseases and even increases the likelihood of premature death.

For this reason, many women around the world are looking for hormonal solutions to keep their estrogen levels healthy – either through conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or through herbal alternatives such as phytoestrogens.

Aside from premature menopause, how does estrogen affect physical performance?

Does Low Estrogen Level Affect Muscle Mass and Performance in Women? - Fitness, fitness, body fat, recovery, menopause, inflammation, estrogen, phytoestrogens, protein synthesis, breast cancer, anorexia

Are estrogen and physical performance linked?

Estrogen promotes muscle regeneration and regeneration. First, estrogen plays an essential role in muscle regeneration. Several Studies reported that estrogen:

  • Damp muscle damage caused by exercise
  • Soothe muscle inflammation after exercise
  • Improve the healing of micro-injuries in the muscles
  • Stimulate the growth of atrophied muscle mass

This is an impressive list. But how is that possible?

Not all details are clear on this matter, however It appears that estrogen can stabilize the membranes of muscle cells and significantly reduce local oxidative stress. This helps prevent major muscle damage (including exercise-related losses) and accelerate the recovery of existing injuries.

Estrogen promotes muscle growth

Let's make that clear: none of the body's estrogens is an anabolic hormone in the traditional sense of the word. You cannot inject estradiol and expect your muscle mass to double in a few weeks. It doesn't work that way.

However, studies have shown that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with estrogens leads to muscle growth in postmenopausal women. Instead of directly increasing muscle growth (like testosterone and DHT), estrogen increases the effect of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1).

This is why women tend to lose muscle mass as they approach menopause. This is also the reason why both HRT and phytoestrogens are a fabulous but little-known method of preventing muscle and performance loss in women with under-optimal estrogen levels.

Estrogen somewhat increases muscle strength

Most likely, you already know that muscle tissue consists of two types of muscle fibers – actin and myosin. One of the factors that determine the strength of a particular muscle is the strength of the bond between its actin and the myosin filaments.

Studies have shown that this is one of the effects of estrogen on muscle tissue. Estrogen somewhat strengthens the connection between myosin and actin fibers in the muscle, which leads to a slight increase in physical strength.

Fixation of low estrogen levels

The first and most important step in restoring your estrogen is to find and treat the cause of your condition. For example, if you suspect that your estrogen waste is due to chronic stress, rest and try to solve your most pressing problems as soon as possible. Most likely, eliminating your stress would result in a good rise in estrogen levels.

And yet the solution is rarely that simple. In most cases, the only way to permanently resolve a low estrogen problem is to start HRT or use natural phytoestrogens.

But how effective is this approach?

A study examined the effect of HRT on physical performance and muscle mass in 15 pairs of identical twins. All women were between 54 and 62 years old, so these are hormonal changes in the menopause and after the menopause. For each pair of twins, one woman took conventional HRT hormones and the other twin received no menopause therapy (conventional or otherwise).

After seven years of this treatment, the twin taking HRT took:

Some other studies on the relationship between HRT and strength, muscle mass, and physical performance in women reported that HRT:

  1. Promotes muscle synthesis
  2. Increases muscle strength (measured by running speed and vertical jump height)

But wait a second, don't go out and stuff yourself with estrogens. These effects were primarily observed when a woman has little estrogen. If you are a healthy woman with normal estrogen levels, you don't have to look for HRT.

This diagnosis is particularly relevant because HRT can only be obtained with a prescription and is so serious that it can be monitored continuously and even then has some side effects. In some cases, the side effects can be as serious as an increased risk of breast cancer.

That is why so many women use phytoestrogens as a natural HRT alternative.

Does Low Estrogen Level Affect Muscle Mass and Performance in Women? - Fitness, fitness, body fat, recovery, menopause, inflammation, estrogen, phytoestrogens, protein synthesis, breast cancer, anorexia

Phytoestrogens as an HRT alternative

In short, phytoestrogens are herbal substances that act similarly to the estrogens that the human body produces. Women around the world have used various sources of phytoestrogens to relieve menopause symptoms before doctors even knew what menopause was.

Now women who are approaching their 40s have another good reason to look for additional phytoestrogens in their diet: to support physical performance and prevent loss of muscle mass during menopause.

Do you need a quick shopping list? Here are some of the richest (and most delicious) food sources for phytoestrogens::

  • All soy products, except soy sauce (soybeans, tofu, soy milk)
  • Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans)
  • Berries, especially colored red and pink (strawberries, cranberries, raspberries)
  • Red grapes and red wine
  • parsley
  • Alfalfa sprouts
  • Dried fruit
  • Sesame seeds

If you don't want to change anything in your diet, you can also take supplements or use skin care products with phytoestrogens such as serums and creams. The latter approach is particularly suitable for athletes, since the lion's share of the phytoestrogens acts locally on the skin and muscles.

One of the world's strongest sources of phytoestrogens is, for example, Pueraria Mirifica, a Thai plant that native women have used as an elixir of youth for centuries. By using a skin care product with Pueraria Mirifica, you can improve local muscle regeneration and support the moisture and elasticity of the skin. Double action, double advantages.

Note that Pueraria Mirifica can slightly increase breast size due to its high estrogen content. So keep that in mind when you apply it to your chest area to support your pectoral muscles.

The bottom line

Although this fact remains unknown to most athletes, coaches, and even health professionals, low estrogen levels have a major impact on a woman's strength, muscle mass, and recovery rates after exercise.

If you are a woman approaching your 40s and you think you may be dealing with a case of suboptimal estrogen, ask your doctor to do some tests and discuss your treatment options.

However, keep in mind that you don't have to drive your estrogen levels through the roof for performance in the gym or even general health. While estrogen is great for the health and performance of your bones and muscles, studies have found this out Excessive estrogen levels can make your tendons and ligaments weaker and more prone to injury.

So moderation is the key. Low estrogen levels are probably as bad as high ones.

An excellent first stepo Bring your estrogen back to a normal range would be to eat more food sources for phytoestrogens – like soy and other legumes. If you want to promote local recovery after physical activity, try applying a topical skin care product. Any source of phytoestrogens will work well, but Pueraria Mirifica is probably the least expensive option.