Are My Muscles Sore Because of What I Ate?
When you are experiencing delayed onset muscle soreness, DOMS, after an intense workout, your muscles need time to heal and rebuild the micro-fibers that were torn. This soreness can be a result of inflammation as your body is flushing out the old/damaged tissue and rebuilding new/stronger muscle. Eating a nutrient-dense diet is essential to a productive workout routine.
There are three main types of muscle that have different functions within the human body. Smooth/visceral muscle is found in the stomach, assisting metabolism as well as the intestines and blood vessels. It is involuntary, meaning its function is controlled by the unconscious part of the brain. Cardiac muscle is also involuntarily keeping your heart contracting and relaxing at just the right speed. It is interesting to note that as the metabolic demand of the heart changes, so does the heart’s ability to contract and relax. Simply put, the food we eat directly affects how our heart muscle will function. Lastly, skeletal muscle is the voluntary muscle empowering your skeletal system to move effectively. For instance, your shoulder, hamstrings, quadriceps, and abdominal muscle. Your body is made up of roughly 640 muscle groups within the skeletal muscles alone, which is the type of muscle this article is focused on.
Skeletal muscle makes up roughly 40% of your body’s weight. The nutrients you eat every day fuel your muscles with energy. Your brain and muscle function are dependent on glucose (a single sugar molecule/ monosaccharide) for energy. When you eat a simple carb like honey or dried fruit, its nutrients are absorbed through the digestive tract and then taken to your bloodstream to be dispersed throughout the body. The hormone insulin is activated by the release of sugar in the blood and transports the ‘goods’ to the muscle cells. Amino acids (which make up protein) and fatty acids are also transported this way. Glucose turns into glycogen (the stored form of sugar/saved for high-intensity workouts) after it enters the cell, and amino acids carry out the duty of healing and restoring muscle tissue.
A great way to care for your muscular system’s health is by eating a balanced diet of the three core macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fat. Your muscles need you to eat healthy carbs for fuel so that it doesn’t have to deplete your protein count to give you energy. Otherwise, it will convert protein into sugar to maintain good blood sugar levels, which is not helpful for your body. If you don’t eat nutrient-dense carbs, it can result in loss of muscle, weakened immunity, and other protein-related problems. Your muscles also need natural sources of protein to help with a whole host of functions. Protein enzymes enhance carbohydrate digestion and help the breakdown of extra cholesterol in the liver.
Protein hormones are chemical messengers that go from one organ to another bringing balance to the systems of the body. One type of protein gives structure to your teeth, bones, and skin. Blood proteins called antibodies are another type that defends you from foreign particles and are part of your immune system. Protein also helps to keep body fluid in balance. If you don’t have enough protein in your blood, the result can lead to edema (swelling), where water builds up in your tissue. The list goes on, but it is clear that protein’s primary role is not to give energy to your muscles, even though it will step into that role if carbs are not available.
Lastly, your muscles need healthy fats in order to bind to protein, regulate body temperature, utilize certain vitamins, make up the cell membrane, bring chemical balance throughout your body, and much more. The key is to choose the fats that raise your HDL(high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol found in foods like: extra virgin olive oil, instead of non-organic butter; avocado, instead of full-fat cheese; and a natural peanut butter sandwich made with whole grain bread and no refined oils, instead of a slice of pizza.
Some studies show tart cherry juice as well as ginger can help muscle recovery when taken after a strenuous workout. As well as replenishing your carb and protein supply with a small snack.
You may not be able to prevent DOMS by your choice of food alone, but you can definitely reduce its longevity and intensity through it. If you try to get a variety of fruits, veggies, nuts, and organic fish, you will likely be able to get your healthy macronutrients into your system, benefiting your muscle growth, cell repair, and waste disposal.
-Turnbull, E. (2020, December 3). Nutrition and DOMS; Best Foods to Reduce Muscle Soreness. Retrieved on July 25, 2023, from: https://youthsportnutrition.com/en-us/blogs/teamysn-forum/nutrition-doms-best-foods-to-reduce-muscle-soreness.
-LeDoux, M. (2020, January 30.) The Science and Nutrition Behind Building Muscle. Retrieved on July 25, 2023, from: https://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/sports-nutrition/science-and-nutrition-behind-building-muscle.
-Lewis, P; Ruby, D; Bush-Joseph, C. (2011, November 23.) Muscle Soreness and Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness. Retrieved on July 25, 2023, from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22341015/
-(NA),(ND). Retrieved on July 25, 2023, from: https://www.innerbody.com/image/musfov.html.
-Team Veloforte. 2022, February 11. Should You be Exercising with DOMS? Retrieved on July 25, 2023, from: https://veloforte.com/blogs/fuel-better/should-you-be-exercising-with-doms
