Nutrients for the Muscles

You train three times a week, eat decently – and yet a cramp twinges in your calf at night now and then, or the strength just isn't quite there on the last set. The musculature is a fascinating system, and there are countless preparations around muscle building and function. So let us cleanly separate what the muscle really needs from what is merely loudly advertised.

Answered directly: for normal muscle function, magnesium, calcium, potassium and vitamin D are linked to approved statements. For building and maintaining muscle mass, protein counts. Creatine is popular but has no approved statement in our consideration – we describe it neutrally. The actual foundation remains: training, protein, recovery.

How your muscles work

A skeletal muscle consists of thousands of muscle fibres that contract and release in response to a nerve signal. It is precisely this interplay of tension and relaxation that makes every movement possible – from a blink to a heavy squat. The contraction is triggered by a finely timed inflow and outflow of minerals at the muscle cell: calcium initiates the contraction, magnesium and potassium are involved in the orderly sequence and in excitability.

At the same time, muscle tissue consists to a large extent of protein. For building, repair and maintenance, the body therefore needs a continuous supply of amino acids from food. These two sides – function (the contracting) and substance (the building material) – are reflected precisely in the approved statements.

Which nutrients are linked to the muscle?

EU Regulation 432/2012 permits the statement on normal muscle function for several minerals and vitamin D, and for protein additionally statements on muscle mass:

Magnesium, calcium and potassium – the electrolytes at the muscle

Muscle work depends closely on the interplay of these three minerals. Magnesium and calcium contribute to normal muscle function, as does potassium. Magnesium is found in whole grains, nuts, pumpkin seeds and pulses – which form is suitable is clarified in Which magnesium is the best?. You will find calcium in dairy products and green vegetables (see Calcium: effect, daily requirement and sources), and potassium in potatoes, bananas, pulses and vegetables (see Potassium: effect, requirement and blood pressure). Especially during sport, when you lose minerals through sweat, these electrolytes come into focus – more in Sport and electrolytes: magnesium and potassium.

Vitamin D and muscle function

Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal muscle function. Since the body produces it itself in the skin in sunlight, the supply is often lower in the dark months – this affects active people too. Especially anyone who spends most of the day indoors or trains predominantly in the gym gets the necessary sunlight less often. How to keep an eye on your status and what matters in dosing is explained in Vitamin D: dosage, blood level and winter.

Protein – the building block of muscle mass

Protein is the substance muscles are made of. For protein the statement is approved that it contributes to a growth in and the maintenance of muscle mass. Good sources are pulses, grains, nuts, eggs, dairy products, meat and fish. Anyone eating plant-based achieves a good supply by combining different sources – such as grains plus pulses; details in Nutrients for vegans. What matters is the total amount over the day, spread across several meals. Especially with increasing age it is worth looking at protein intake – see Vital substances from 50.

What research is investigating: creatine

Creatine is one of the most-studied substances in the sports field. In our consideration no health claims are approved for creatine, so we describe it factually and neutrally: creatine is a compound produced by the body itself that occurs above all in the musculature. The body produces part of it itself and takes in part through food – particularly via meat and fish. In supplements, creatine monohydrate is usually used as a powder or capsule; how it is typically used is described neutrally in Creatine: effect and intake. In case of persistent complaints, please seek medical advice.

Nutrient sources for the musculature

The muscle-relevant nutrients are found in many everyday foods. The overview helps with putting them together:

During sport, it is above all magnesium and potassium that are lost through sweat. Anyone who sweats a lot should therefore ensure an adequate intake and enough fluid. How well nutrients reach the body is explained in Bioavailability simply explained.

In practice: training, protein, recovery

For the musculature, a triad is decisive that no preparation replaces:

• Training stimulus: no growth without load. Regular, demanding training sets the stimulus to which the body responds with adaptation.
• Protein: spread your protein sources across the day rather than putting everything into one meal – this way building material is continuously available to the body.
• Recovery: the muscle grows in the break, not in training. Sleep and recovery days are not a luxury but part of the building process.
• Electrolytes & fluid: with intense sweating, think of magnesium, potassium and drinking enough.

What the statements concretely mean

With the muscle it is worth looking closely: magnesium, calcium and potassium contribute to normal muscle function, vitamin D to its maintenance. What is meant is the smooth interplay of tension and relaxation – not a „strength boost“ at the push of a button. For protein a distinct, clearly defined statement applies: it contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass, and indeed in interplay with physical activity. Anyone wanting to build therefore cannot get around training. Anyone using several preparations keeps an eye on the total intake – notes in Nutrients for vegans.

For whom the closer look is especially worthwhile

A few scenarios in which the muscle-relevant nutrients come more into focus:

• You train intensely and sweat a lot: then magnesium and potassium are lost through sweat – ensure an adequate intake and enough fluid.
• You eat plant-based: combine grains and pulses to cover your protein requirement well; details in Nutrients for vegans.
• You are getting older: the maintenance of muscle mass deserves more attention with the years – regular training and enough protein are the basis, see Vital substances from 50.
• You train in winter: then vitamin D status is also a topic, because the body's own production is lower.

In all these cases it holds: supplements supplement, they replace neither a balanced diet nor the training itself.

Honestly classified

Established and approved are the statements on magnesium, calcium, potassium, vitamin D and protein. What you may realistically expect: a good basis for the normal function and maintenance of your musculature. What supplements do not achieve: replacing the training stimulus. We deliberately classify creatine neutrally, because no approved statement exists for it. In case of persistent complaints such as recurring cramps or weakness, a medical assessment is advisable.

Matching products from Scheunengut

In the category Sport & Fitness you will find preparations around the musculature, such as electrolyte and creatine products. For individual minerals it is worth looking at Magnesium, Potassium and the overview Minerals. All products are made in Germany and laboratory-tested.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Which nutrients does the musculature need?

For normal muscle function, magnesium, calcium, potassium and vitamin D are linked to approved statements. For building and maintaining muscle mass, protein counts. The minerals control the interplay of tension and relaxation, protein delivers the building material.

Does magnesium help against muscle cramps?

Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function, that is, to the orderly interplay of tension and relaxation. During sport, magnesium and potassium are lost through sweat, which is why an adequate intake should be ensured. In case of recurring cramps, please seek medical advice.

How much protein is sensible for building muscle?

What is decisive is the total amount over the day, sensibly spread across several meals, combined with regular training. The approved statement is that protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass. The requirement can also be well covered from plants via combined sources.

Is creatine sensible for building muscle?

Creatine is a compound produced by the body itself that occurs above all in the muscle and is taken in via meat and fish. In our consideration no approved health claim exists, so we describe it neutrally. The basis of muscle building remains training, protein and recovery.