HOW TO WOO A WOMAN

Friday, 16 May 2025

Want to have Stronger Muscles? This is for you.

 



Want Stronger Muscles? Study Suggests Adding

 This Berry to Your Diet Might Help

Key Points

  • A study on mice found that grape consumption altered gene expression related to muscle growth, repair, metabolism, and inflammation, suggesting potential muscle health benefits.
  • Grapes contain polyphenols like resveratrol and quercetin, which may reduce 
  • inflammation and improve circulation, supporting muscle recovery alongside 
  • high-protein foods.
  • While promising, the findings are based on animal research and gene activity. 
  • not direct improvements in human muscle function—so moderation and a
  •  balanced diet remain essential. Could sweet, juicy grapes be the key to 
  • Improved muscle health? Gym-goers and athletes alike might rush to the 
  • produce aisle after hearing this news. A recent study from Rutgers University,
  •  Western New England University and UMass Chan Medical School-Baystate, 
  • recently published in the journal Foods, found a link between grape consumption
  •  and muscle function. 

    “Research suggests that long-term consumption of grapes may have a positive

    In the study, researchers divided the mice into two groups: One group consumed 

    Consider genes as the body’s instruction manual, says Hallie Labrador, MD, MS,

  •  director of the primary care sports medicine fellowship at Endeavor Health. 

  • Grape supplementation was linked to significant changes in 25 different genes,

  •  she notes. Genes supporting muscle growth, repair, metabolism, and function

  •  were upregulated, while those associated with degeneration, fat storage,

  •  insulin 

  • resistance, and inflammation were downregulated.

  • a standard diet, while the other received a standard diet supplemented with 

  • powdered grapes. The team then examined muscle cells to assess the effects of

  •  grape supplementation on gene expression.

  •  impact on muscle health in both men and women, based on a study done on 

  • male and female mice,” says sports dietitian Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD

  • , author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook

What does it mean to be more muscular on the “genetic” or “cellular” 

level?

  • Building muscle isn’t solely about lifting weights and consuming protein; it’s also 

  • influenced by our genetics and cellular mechanisms. Our genes play a role in 

  • signaling the body to develop muscle, while cellular processes, such as muscle

  •  protein synthesis, manage the actual growth and repair following exercise. This 

  • clarifies why two individuals following the same workout routine may not achieve

  •  identical results.

How exactly do grapes help with muscle function? 

  • “Grapes contain polyphenols, especially flavonoids like resveratrol and quercetin,

    Resveratrol, in particular (wine lovers, you may recognize this one), aids in 

    Though grapes aren’t a good source of protein, they can complement 

  • high-protein foods by helping to reduce oxidative damage and improve circulation

  • , which in turn supports muscle recovery, according to Goodson.

  • improving circulation and delivering oxygen and nutrients to muscles, which is 

  • vital for growth and recovery.

  •  which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties,” says Goodson. These

  •  compounds may help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, two factors that 

  • can hinder muscle recovery and growth.

How are grapes different from other muscle-building foods?

  • Grapes are mostly made up of water and carbohydrates, excellent for hydration

  •  and energy, but they are not usually considered muscle-building foods. Foods

  •  that promote muscle growth include protein-rich options such as lean beef, 

  • chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products, beans, lentils, and soy products.

How many grapes should people eat to reap the benefits? 

  • You’ve likely heard that moderation is key, and that applies to grape consumption

    Instead, focus on maintaining a well-balanced and varied diet to ensure you get 

  • all the macro and micronutrients your body needs. The Dietary Guidelines for

  •  Americans recommend about one to two cups of fruit per day for those on a daily 2,000-calorie diet. 

Are there caveats and limitations to the findings?

  • It’s important to note that this study was conducted on mice, not humans, so we

    It’s also important to highlight that individual responses to dietary changes can 

    Bottom line: Grapes are a nutrient-dense food, bursting with hydration and rich in

  •  polyphenols, but, as with everything, moderation is key.

  • vary, and the study didn’t address how factors like age, gender, or exercise habits

  •  affected muscle-building outcomes, says Goodson.

  •  cannot assume that the effects would be the same in people. Another limitation

  •  is that the study focused on gene expression rather than muscle function, says 

  • Labrador. “Just because there is an upregulation or downregulation of a gene 

  • does not mean that it will necessarily equate to true change in the muscle mass,

  •  function, and health.”



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