Among those who regularly do muscle training, there may be many who are concerned about the nutrition they consume. Food is an important element in building your body, so it's important to keep an eye on it in order to get closer to your ideal self. In addition, in order to efficiently increase muscle strength, there are important points in the way you consume nutrition.

In this article, we will introduce the nutrients you should take during muscle training and recommended intake methods. If you want to improve the effects of muscle training, please check it out.

What nutrients do you want to take during muscle training?

In order to maximize the results of your training, it is important to consume a variety of nutrients in a well-balanced manner. Here we will introduce important nutrients to improve the effectiveness of muscle training.


●Protein

Protein is one of the three macronutrients, along with carbohydrates and fats. It is the basis for making muscle and organ cells.

Proteins are compounds made up of 20 types of amino acids bonded together. Of the 20 types of amino acids, 9 are essential amino acids that cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained from the diet.

There are two types of protein: "animal protein" such as meat, fish, and eggs, and "vegetable protein" such as grains and beans.

Animal protein has an absorption rate of 97%, meaning that most of it is absorbed by the body. On the other hand, vegetable protein has an absorption rate of 84%.

Although vegetable protein has a lower absorption rate than animal protein, foods containing vegetable protein are low in fat and rich in dietary fiber. It is important to have a well-balanced intake of both animal and vegetable protein.

[Animal foods]
Ingredients name (Protein amount per 100g edible portion)
Chicken young chicken fillet raw /(23.9g)
Shirosake new roll raw /(22.8g)
chicken egg yolk raw /(16.5g)

[Plant food]
Ingredients name (Protein amount per 100g edible portion)
fried tofu raw (23.4g)
firm tofu (7.0g)
soy milk (3.6g)


●Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are also one of the three major nutrients. Some people avoid carbohydrates to lose weight, but they play an important role in supplying the brain and skeletal muscles with the energy they need for activities.

Carbohydrates can be expected to have positive effects such as increasing the effectiveness of training and improving performance.

If you lack carbohydrates, you may not be able to exert sufficient strength or your judgment may deteriorate, so it is important to consume adequate amounts.

Carbohydrates can be divided into ``carbohydrates,'' which are absorbed and become an energy source, and ``dietary fibers,'' which are not absorbed and become energy.

Dietary fiber has the function of regulating gastrointestinal health and eliminating fat, sugar, and salt from the body. Japanese people tend to be deficient in dietary fiber, so it's a good idea to consciously consume it.

Ingredient name (carbohydrate amount per 100g edible portion)
honey (81.9g)
Plain bread (44.2g)
Rice (polished rice, non-glutinous rice) Cooked rice (34.6g)
Boiled macaroni/spaghetti (28.5g)
Boiled Chinese noodles (25.2g)
potato (15.9g)


●Lipid

Fat is one of the three major nutrients and is the energy source for the human body. In addition to producing energy, it helps absorb fat-soluble vitamins.

It is widely known that eating too much fat can lead to obesity, but not enough fat can lead to physical problems. Specifically, these include decreased physical strength, hormonal imbalance, and skin problems.

In addition, lipids are mainly composed of fatty acids, and there are two types: saturated fatty acids, which solidify at room temperature, and unsaturated fatty acids, which liquefy at room temperature.

Saturated fatty acids are found in meat and dairy products, while unsaturated fatty acids are found in fish and olive oil. Excessive consumption of saturated fatty acids can cause lifestyle-related diseases, so it is recommended that they consume no more than 7% of your daily calories.

Ingredients name (total amount of fatty acids per 100g of edible portion)
olive oil (74.04g)
Unfermented butter, no salt (73.00g)
thigh fat (56.08g)
avocado (18.7g)
Canned sardines in oil (11.45g)
fillet lean (3.13g)


●Vitamin

Vitamins are nutrients that are useful for lifestyle measures and health. Vitamins can be classified into two types: water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins.

Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in body fluids such as blood, and excess is excreted in the urine. Fat-soluble vitamins, on the other hand, are nutrients that are stored in fat tissue and the liver.

Both are rarely produced in the body and must be obtained from the diet.

As you can see, there are various types of vitamins, but the B group vitamins and vitamin D are especially important to ingest during muscle training.

Vitamin B group is a water-soluble vitamin that is involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps maintain a healthy body.

Ingredients name Nutrition (Content per 100g of edible portion)
Bonito vitamin B6 (0.85g)
Tuna red meat vitamin B6 (0.76g)
Pork thigh Vitamin B1 (0.96g)
broccoli Vitamin B1 (0.17mg)
Grilled white salmon vitamin D (31.2μg)
pacific saury grilled vitamin D (13μg)


●Mineral

Minerals are a general term for substances other than the four main elements that make up living organisms: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. The ``Japanese Dietary Intake Standards (2020 Edition)'' established by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare lists the following 16 types as ``essential minerals'' necessary for the human body.

·sodium
·chlorine
·potassium
·calcium
·magnesium
·Rin
·sulfur
·iron
·zinc
·copper
·manganese
·cobalt
·chromium
·Iodine
·molybdenum
·selenium

When you sweat a lot during muscle training, you lose minerals. Especially during muscle training, it's a good idea to consciously consume potassium, calcium, and magnesium. You can expect it to be effective in preventing cramps.

Ingredients name Nutrition (Content per 100g of edible portion)
chopped kelp potassium (8,200mg)
dried mango potassium (1,100mg)
processed cheese calcium (630mg)
milk calcium (110mg)
Sesame magnesium (370mg)
Grilled seaweed magnesium (300mg)

【reference】
“Dietary Intake Standards for Japanese (2020 Edition)” (Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare)
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10904750/000586553.pdf
【source】
“Japanese Food Standard Composition Table (Eighth Edition) Expanded 2023” (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology)
https://www.mext.go.jp/amenu/syokuhinseibun/mext00001.html

How to intake nutrients to improve muscle training effects

If you want to get the same nutrition, you want to eat a meal that is more effective for muscle training. Here we will introduce how to consume nutrients to increase the effectiveness of muscle training.


●Eat a nutritionally balanced diet

When talking about meals during muscle training, some people think of protein, but it is important to have a well-balanced nutritional intake. In addition to protein, make sure to actively consume fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.

A delicious recipe that contains the nutrients necessary for muscle training!


●Use snacks and nutritional supplements for snacks

If you find it difficult to get enough nutrients from just three meals, you may want to use snacks or supplements. Bananas and sweet potatoes are especially recommended for snacking as they are rich in minerals.

There are also foods that are nutritionally balanced, such as snack bars and protein. You can easily buy it at drugstores, and there are many variations, so be sure to take advantage of it.

How to increase the effectiveness of muscle training

In order to increase the effectiveness of muscle training, the timing of your meals is also important. From here, we will explain how to eat to increase the effectiveness of muscle training.


●Eat before exercise

The best time to train is 2 to 3 hours after eating, when you are neither hungry nor full. Hunger is a state in which your body lacks nutrients. Lack of energy can cause your muscles to break down and lower your basal metabolism.

Also, muscle training on a full stomach is not recommended. Muscle exercise after a meal can inhibit digestive activity, which can lead to indigestion and nausea.


Consume protein within 45 minutes to 1 hour after muscle training

The 45 minutes to 1 hour after a strength workout is the time when your muscles' recovery capacity increases. Eating protein along with carbohydrates during this time will help you build muscle. Ideally, you should eat foods such as meat and fish, but if this is difficult, it would be a good idea to consume protein such as protein or soy milk.

Improve your muscle training results with balanced nutrition

In this article, we introduced the nutrients you should take during muscle training and recommended ways to take them. When training, it is important to consume vitamins and carbohydrates in addition to protein.

Vitamin C is also important for maintaining daily health. With Lypo-C, you can get 1,000mg of vitamin C in one packet. If you want to improve your body condition or are concerned about your beauty, please check it out.

Article supervision


Director of Mizutani Dermatology Clinic
Professor Haruko Mizutani

Mizutani Dermatology Clinic

Graduated from Tokyo Medical University. After working in the dermatology department of Tokyo Medical University Hospital and the Tokyo Cosmetic Dermatology Clinic, he opened Mizutani Dermatology Clinic in 2012.
In addition to general dermatology and pediatric dermatology, we also treat cosmetic dermatology, including spots and sagging skin.

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