Lean Muscle Mass Science is the dedicated study of skeletal muscle not merely as a contractile tissue, but as a critical endocrine organ whose mass and quality are paramount predictors of metabolic health and longevity. This discipline examines the complex physiological and hormonal regulation of muscle protein synthesis and breakdown. Maintaining high lean muscle mass is clinically recognized as a vital defense against insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and sarcopenia.
Origin
This scientific perspective evolved from traditional exercise physiology with the discovery that skeletal muscle actively secretes myokines, which are hormone-like peptides. This finding elevated muscle’s status to an endocrine gland, fundamentally changing its role in systemic health from passive reservoir to active metabolic regulator.
Mechanism
The central mechanism revolves around the balance of anabolic and catabolic signaling pathways, primarily governed by key hormones. Testosterone, Growth Hormone, and Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) stimulate muscle protein synthesis and hypertrophy. Conversely, myokines released by contracting muscle fibers, such as Interleukin-6, exert pleiotropic effects on distant organs like adipose tissue and the liver, helping to regulate systemic inflammation and insulin sensitivity.
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