By

Rajiv Ambat

Lifestyle Disorders Coach & Founder – SOLVEMyHealth

Rajiv Ambat is a well-known speaker and the author of the best-selling book ‘The Midriff Crisis’. As a lifestyle expert, Rajiv leads the team at SOLVEMyHealth, which includes experienced dieticians, exercise specialists, and medical doctors. Together, they help clients manage a wide range of health concerns through structured, scientific, and personalised lifestyle interventions. The team specialises in treating and managing lifestyle-related conditions such as obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, fatty liver, and PCOS through customised diet and exercise plans tailored to each individual’s needs.

A recent study on population-based data from the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) and India Diabetes Council, reported that Kerala ranks first in India in abdominal obesity, with 58.2% of adults having excess belly fat, far above the national average of about 39.5%. Abdominal obesity is far more than just a cosmetic issue; this visceral fat reflects a host of metabolic disorders, insulin resistance, higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver, sleep disorders, and early mortality. Many people in Kerala appear “normal weight” by BMI but have central obesity – the classic thin-fat Indian pattern! This is, in fact a condition called ‘Metabolically Obese Normal Weight’ (MONW)

Low muscle mass along with high body fat worsens insulin sensitivity, and accelerates lifestyle diseases. At SOLVEMyHealth, we often tell our clients and patients – muscle is not just for strength, it is a metabolic organ! When muscle mass improves, blood sugar control improves, blood pressure comes down, inflammation reduces, sleep improves, and overall vitality increases. In many cases, your muscles act as your body’s natural pharmacy!

Muscle as a Metabolic Organ

Insulin Sensitivity and Blood Sugar Control: Skeletal muscle is the largest insulin-sensitive tissue in the body and plays a central role in controlling blood sugar after meals. When muscle mass is adequate and regularly used, glucose is transported into muscle cells and stored as glycogen; they hold anywhere between 300 – 600 grams of glucose. This keeps post-meal blood sugar levels stable and reduces the risk of damage on organs due to consistently high blood glucose levels. When muscle mass is low or inactive, glucose remains longer in the bloodstream, insulin levels rise, and excess energy is stored as visceral fat. Over time, this leads to insulin resistance, fatty liver, and type-2 diabetes. In simple terms, stronger muscles improve glucose utilisation of the body and reduce metabolic disease risk of diabetes, PCOS and other lifestyle diseases including fatty liver.

Fat Metabolism and Cholesterol: Muscle tissue also regulates fat metabolism and cardiovascular health. Active muscle increases fatty-acid oxidation, which helps lower triglycerides and improves HDL cholesterol.

Blood Pressure Management: Regular strength training makes your blood vessels more flexible and improves their ability to widen when blood flows through them (endothelial function of blood vessels) and thereby manage the pressure of the blood inside the blood vessels. It increases nitric oxide, a natural chemical that relaxes vessel walls and improves circulation. Over time, this reduces strain on the heart and helps bring down resting blood pressure. Regular exercise also improves heart health, as it improves the efficiency of the heart to pump blood (stroke volume).

Higher Metabolic Rate: Muscle tissue is metabolically more active than fat. At rest, 1 kg of muscle burns roughly 3.5 times more energy than 1 kg of fat. So when muscle mass increases, the body uses more calories even while sitting or sleeping. This higher baseline energy use helps to keep weight in check, reduce belly fat, improves cholesterol patterns, and lowers the risk of hypertension and heart disease.

Muscle as a Hormonal Organ

Skeletal muscle acts like an endocrine organ. When muscles contract during exercise, they release signalling proteins called myokines, such as IL-6, irisin, and myostatin regulators. These molecules travel through the bloodstream and act on organs like the liver, fat tissue, pancreas, and blood vessels. They improve insulin sensitivity, increase fat burning, and reduce chronic low-grade inflammation. This biochemical signalling explains why strength training sometimes helps control diabetes, fatty liver, and cardiovascular risk even without major weight loss.

Testosterone and Vitality: Muscle health is closely linked with hormonal balance, especially in men after 30 years. It is closely linked to the sexual health and libido in men. Resistance training stimulates the production of male sex hormone testosterone. It also improves receptor sensitivity in muscle cells and facilitates further muscle growth. At the same time, reducing visceral fat lowers the activity of enzymes, which converts testosterone into the female sex hormone – estrogen. Adequate muscle mass also improves mitochondrial function and cellular energy production. The result is better strength, endurance, recovery, improved sexual health and overall vitality.

Inflammation Control: Low muscle mass is associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers such as CRP and TNF-alpha. Regular strength training reduces these markers through myokine signalling and improved fat metabolism. Lower inflammation contributes to improved vascular health, liver function, joint health, and immune response. This is why muscle building is now considered an important part of medical prevention strategies for diabetes, heart disease, and other lifestyle disorders.

Muscle and Cognitive Health

Brain Signalling: When muscles contract during strength training, the body releases growth factors such as BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and IGF-1. BDNF is often called a “brain fertilizer” because it supports the growth, repair, and survival of nerve cells and improves communication between them. Regular resistance training also increases blood flow to the brain, improving oxygen and nutrient delivery. These changes support memory, concentration, and mental clarity as we age.

Mood and Stress Regulation: Strength training improves mental health by influencing neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins – the body’s natural “feel-good” chemicals. Regular exercise lowers chronic cortisol levels, which helps reduce anxiety and improves emotional stability. It also improves sleep quality by regulating the circadian rhythm and reducing physical restlessness. Better sleep, better mood regulation, and improved stress tolerance together lead to better daily mental performance and resilience.

Confidence and Psychological Well-being: Improving muscle mass changes body composition, posture, and physical capability. People feel stronger, move better, and often look younger and healthier. This improves self-confidence, body image, and motivation to maintain healthy habits. From a behavioural medicine perspective, these psychological benefits are important because confidence and positive self-image create lasting improvements in both mental and physical health.

Muscle and Healthy Ageing

After the age of 30, people naturally lose muscle mass and strength – a process called sarcopenia. This loss speeds up with inactivity, low protein intake, illness, and poor sleep. Reduced muscle weakens joints, reduces bone density, slows reaction time, and affects balance. As a result, the risk of falls, fractures, and loss of mobility increases. Many common problems in older adults such as difficulty climbing stairs, getting up from a chair, or walking steadily are often due more to muscle loss than ageing itself.

Research has shown that simple measures of muscle strength predict longevity and health outcomes. Large population studies have found that grip strength is strongly associated with survival, cardiovascular risk, and overall mortality.

A similar activity tested the ability of a person to sit down and stand up from a chair or the floor using only one leg, and without support! People who could do this easily without support were found to have better longevity.

In practical terms, preserving muscle through regular strength training and proper nutrition is one of the most effective ways to maintain independence, prevent falls, and age with better health and confidence.

How to Build Muscle Safely

Muscle growth requires three basic inputs: adequate protein, progressive strength training, and recovery. Most adults need about 0.8 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, depending on age, activity level, and medical conditions. Sedentary adults may do well around 0.8 to 1 grams of protein per kg, while older adults, people those doing regular strength training may benefit from

1.2 to 1.6 g/kg or slightly higher under guidance. People with kidney disease, liver disease, or other medical conditions should individualise protein intake with their doctor. If your current protein intake is very low, do not suddenly double it; gradually increase over 2 – 3 weeks to avoid digestive discomfort such as bloating or acidity.

The second requirement is progressive strength training, which is essential for muscle hypertrophy. Muscles grow when they are challenged with resistance slightly above their usual level. Exercises using body weight, resistance bands, or weights create small, controlled stress on muscle fibres, which then repair and grow stronger. Training 2 – 3 times per week with proper technique is enough for most people. Heavy weights are not necessary at the start; correct form, gradual progression, and supervision especially for beginners or people with medical issues are more important.

Finally, muscle growth depends on balanced nutrition, sleep, and consistency. Along with protein, the body needs adequate calories, vitamins, minerals, and hydration. Poor sleep reduces growth hormone release and recovery, slowing muscle repair. Stress and irregular routines also affect results. Consistent moderate training, good food habits, and 7 – 8 hours of sleep are more effective and safer than short bursts of very intense exercise. Muscle building is a long-term health investment, not a quick program.

How Much Muscle Can You Gain in a Month?

Muscle growth happens slowly and depends on age, training level, nutrition, sleep, and hormones. In beginners who start proper strength training with adequate protein intake, muscle gain is usually about 0.5 to 1 kg per month in the early months. People who already train regularly may gain only 0.2 to 0.4 kg per month, because progress slows as the body adapts. Older adults can still gain muscle, but the rate is slower – often 0.1 to 0.3 kg per month, and requires more attention to protein intake, sleep, and consistency.

Activity level also matters. Someone doing structured resistance training 3 times per week with adequate protein and calories will gain more muscle than someone doing only walking or cardio. People recovering from illness or with very low muscle mass may initially gain faster because they are correcting a deficiency. However, muscle growth is never unlimited; genetics, hormones, and age set natural limits. It is important to note that using anabolic steroids or extreme diets to accelerate muscle gain carries very serious health risks and is not at all recommended.

For most people, a realistic goal is 3 – 5 kg of muscle gain in a year with consistent training, good nutrition, and sleep. This may not look dramatic on the weighing scale, but even small increases in muscle mass significantly improve insulin sensitivity, strength, balance, and long-term health. The focus should be on steady progress, proper technique, and lifestyle habits instead of rapid changes.

Pic Courtesy: pegasus/ images are subject to copyright