Exploring the Connection Between Nutrition and Muscle Repair

We all know the feeling in our muscles the day after we have had a hard workout or moved our bodies in unfamiliar ways. You know, the days when it’s painful to sit on the toilet or walk down the stairs? When our muscles feel so tight that even the most mundane activities take some thought? That discomfort is what happens when our bodies are working hard to repair the damage done by the exercise. Don’t worry, it’s GOOD damage!

Pushing our muscles causes tiny tears in the muscle fibers, and our bodies get to work repairing those tears. Any time something in our body needs repair an immune response is triggered. And, any time our immune system is activated, it causes pain, swelling, and heat. 

When we understand that those sore muscles are caused by our immune systems, we can glean some clues about how to better manage that post-exercise pain, We know that we can support our immune through our food, so it makes sense that what we eat before, after, and even between workouts can either speed up that muscle repair or slow it down.

So, whether you're training for a marathon or just trying to make it through a weekly boot camp without hobbling around afterwards, understanding how food fuels recovery can be a total game-changer.

Let’s dive in to better understand how these things are connected. 

First, let’s look at what is actually happening when our muscles are sore after a workout. 

During exercise (especially strength training or anything high intensity), we create microscopic tears in our muscle fibers. That sounds kind of scary, but it's not a bad thing! It’s actually what we want because it is how our muscles grow stronger. As our bodies repair the damage, the muscle fiber grows thicker and more resilient. That’s muscle growth.

But our muscles can’t do all this work without the right nutrients. Think of food as the building material for a renovation. We need the best materials to build a strong foundation. And, for our muscles, those materials are protein, carbs, and some important vitamins and minerals. 

Protein for Muscle Repair

We are going to look at each of these elements, but let’s start with the most important - protein.

Protein is made up of amino acids, which are basically the building blocks our bodies use to build (and rebuild) muscles. After a workout, when we have created those little tears in our muscles, those muscles are looking for these building blocks to repair and grow. So, if we are not eating enough protein, we are impeding our progress.

When we think about protein, we always wonder how much we really need. And, like all things with our bodies, the answer is individualized and varies depending on our workouts.  But a general rule of thumb is that we need to consume around 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. So, if you weigh 150 pounds (about 68 kg), that’s somewhere between 80–135 grams of protein daily, depending on how intense your training is. This can feel like a lot of protein, I know! But when we fuel our bodies well, all of the effort we put into our workouts pays off! With protein, the best courses are always whole foods. I know there are cookies, crackers, and even candy bars that have added proteins, but they also have a lot of ingredients that contribute to inflammation and hinder our efforts to get healthier. So, for ideas for foods that are packed with protein, think about lean meats, Greek yogurt, beans, fish, nuts, tofu, quinoa, cottage cheese, and protein shakes.

Muscle Repair Foods 

While protein gets a lot of attention and it is super important, we also need to make sure we are fueling our bodies properly for our workouts. The best source of fuel is complex carbohydrates. These work to replenish our glycogen stores, which are like the fuel tanks for our muscles, and which get depleted during hard workouts. For complex carbs, think of foods like sweet potatoes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. 

Now, remember we talked about the soreness and stiff muscles being caused by the triggering of an immune response that is our body’s way of repairing the muscle tears? Well, certain foods can boost our immune systems to help with that process, and other foods can mitigate the inflammation inherent in that immune response. For these benefits, we want to make sure we are consuming plenty of antioxidants, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc and Vitamin E. For these nutrients, think about foods like leafy greens and berries, nuts and seeds, garlic, and salmon.

Now that we have a good idea of why nutrition is important for muscle repair and what foods we should choose, let’s throw one more consideration into the mix! For optimal muscle recovery, we need to pay attention not just to what we are eating, but when we are eating it!

Remember we said that our muscles are craving protein right after the workout so they can begin to rebuild? That time period is often referred to as the “anabolic window.”  The idea is that if we eat the right stuff during this window, our bodies will absorb and use those nutrients more efficiently.

While that is true, we are learning that the “window” is open for longer than we previously thought. We don’t have to run to the locker room and chug a protein shake right after our workout to see gains. But eating nutrient-dense foods with a combination of quality protein (to rebuild muscles), complex carbs (to refill our glycogen stores) and important nutrients (to support our immune systems and decrease inflammation) within 1–2 hours after a workout is definitely smart. 

Post-Workout Nutrition

If you are thinking that things are getting complicated, don’t worry. This is easier than you think. Some easy post-workout foods that check all of the boxes are a protein shake and a banana, or grilled chicken with quinoa and vegetables, or eggs with whole grain toast, or (my favorite) Greek yogurt with berries, nuts and seeds.

And, always important (and covered in other blogs) is the need to stay hydrated! Muscles need water to function and recover. Toss some electrolytes into your water if you’ve been sweating buckets.

Don’t forget that proper nutrition isn’t just important on workout days. Recovery happens between workouts too, and what we eat throughout the week builds the foundation for how our bodies respond to exercise.

Nutrition and Recovery

So, if we are under-fueled, under-hydrated, or nutrient-deficient, our muscles won’t heal properly. We might even start breaking down muscle instead of building it, especially if we are over 40! For those of us who like the lean look, we are often tempted to cut calories. But, that might actually be working against our goals. Recovery is energy-intensive. If we are constantly in a calorie deficit, our bodies will prioritize survival, not muscle repair. When it comes to properly feeding our bodies for intense workouts, we also don’t want to skip the carbs. Unlike what some of us have been taught, carbs are not the enemy. In fact, we need carbs (complex carbs) to replenish energy and help protein do its job. And, if we are skimping on complex carbs, we are missing out on other nutrients that are essential for muscle repair (and many other vital processes). For example, skipping out on vegetables like peppers and broccoli robs our bodies of much-needed Vitamin C. Foregoing nuts and seeds depletes magnesium and zinc. And, staying away from leafy greens and beans can lead to an iron deficiency. 

Diet and Muscle Recovery

Make sure your diet is varied and colorful. Eat the rainbow! 

By the way, this information applies to everyone. You don’t need to be a bodybuilder or marathon runner to pay attention to the connection between nutrition and muscle repair. Whether you’re walking the dog, chasing your kids, or deadlifting 200 pounds, your muscles need fuel to perform and recover.

As a recap, these are the essential ideas:

• Protein is crucial. Eat it consistently, not just after workouts. Make sure every meal and snack has a good source of protein.
  
  

• Carbs are not to be avoided. They replenish energy and support muscle repair.
  
  

• Healthy fats are essential. They help manage inflammation.
  
  

• Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are important for recovery and many other processes in our bodies.
  
  

• Hydration is NON-NEGOTIABLE!.
  
  

And the best part? You don’t need expensive supplements or fancy meals. Focus on real, whole foods (foods that don’t come with a label or ingredient list). Avoid highly processed foods and sugary drinks (even if they have added protein!). Decrease alcohol and caffeine. Do the simple things consistently. Lift, sweat, stretch, recover... and eat well. Our bodies are capable of doing amazing things when we fuel them right!