Health and fitness expert Dr. Rhonda Patrick outlined the most important things to focus on when gaining muscle mass. In a recent YouTube video, Dr. Rhonda Patrick provided her followers with four “major players” to build muscle, which include protein intake, resistance training, Omega-3s, and heat.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick has made extraordinary contributions as a cell biologist with expertise in aging, cancer, and nutrition which are now shared through her thriving social media presence, boasting over 500,000 subscribers on YouTube alone. As a reliable figure in the medical field, Dr. Rhonda Patrick provides easy-to-understand health and fitness tips that encourage longevity and better living.
Having teamed up with colleagues such as Dr. Peter Attia, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and Dr. Brad Schoenfield, Dr. Rhonda Patrick provides science-based facts to break down the complexities behind exercising and nutrition. One topic Dr. Rhonda Patrick focuses on heavily is the development of muscle mass.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s Four “Important Players” For Muscle Mass
Below, you can find Patrick’s four important players for muscle mass.
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“These are the 4 most important players for muscle mass:”
“1) Protein intake – If you’re resistance training and trying to build muscle, consume at least 1.6 g/kg (0.73 g/lbs). Big credit to Dr. Stuart Phillips for the research here.”
“2) Resistance training – Lift weights. Do bodyweight exercises. Pick something you enjoy and stick to it. Anything is better than nothing.”
“3) Omega-3s (2-4g/day, triglyceride form) – According to research from Dr. Chris McGlory, omega-3s prevent disuse atrophy by sensitizing muscle to amino acids. In simpler terms, when it comes to protein, this means you get more bang for your buck.”
“4) Heat stress from a sauna or hot tub – Like omega-3s, heat stress also prevents muscle atrophy. A recent smaller study also found that using the sauna after resistance training increases biomarkers of hypertrophy” Dr. Rhonda Patrick wrote.
She doesn’t underestimate the power of protein for muscle building efforts.
“The most important players for muscle mass are protein intake, at least 1.6 grams per kilogram body weight. Resistance training. Anything you can do, body weight exercise, anything. Then after that would be Omega-3. So you want to have more of the, you’re going to get to two to four grams Triglyceride form range and heat, from either a sauna or a hot tub” Dr. Rhonda Patrick said.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick explains in her video that all four elements, including protein intake, resistance training, Omega-3s, and heat, work together to prevent disuse atrophy later in age.
“So both Omega-3 and heat work on basically preventing disuse atrophy, which is a pretty big problem in older adults. So when you’re not physically active, when you’re not doing resistance training, atrophy, sarcopenia, these things, you are battling these things.”
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When it comes to putting on muscle mass, protein is a crucial component. Previously, Dr. Rhonda Patrick did a deep dive into why individuals should be eating more protein and explained that if you don’t stack muscle while you are younger, it is like taking from your retirement fund.
“If you are really trying to hit that 1.2-1.6 grams per kilogram body weight, that’s very important. It is a lot of protein. It is actually a lot of protein especially for people who are physically active. You might be going well why is that so important? well, if you are constantly pulling amino acids from your muscle it’s like pulling from your retirement fund early” Dr. Rhonda Patrick explained.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick is continuously providing her followers with ways to help improve their diets and possibly extend their lives. She continues to advocate for proper protein intake and building muscle to protect the body for later in life.
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