Fuel Your Muscles with Protein: The Unsung Heroes of Metabolic Health

July 29, 2025

Sponsored by Premier Protein®
Authored by Eric Klein, BS, MBA

Do you fuel your muscles? Many people underestimate the vital role our muscles play in maintaining metabolic health and the importance of protein in fueling them. Understanding this connection and taking action on it is an important step toward maintaining energy, strength, and long-term metabolic health.

Muscles as Metabolic Heroes

When you think of muscles, you probably think about strength, movement, and the ability to stay physically active. While our muscles help us move and engage with the world around us, they also play a crucial role as powerful regulators of our metabolic health.

Muscles are the unsung heroes of our daily lives, as they quietly yet powerfully support the critical processes that keep us functioning. Even at rest, your muscles are working to keep your body running smoothly. Because this work happens so seamlessly behind the scenes, it’s often easy to overlook just how vital their contributions are to your overall health.

Muscles do more than support movement. They play an important role in regulating blood sugar, storing and using energy from food, and supporting communication between key systems involved in metabolic function. One of the muscles most remarkable metabolic feats is their ability to regulate blood sugar levels. 

When you eat carbohydrates:

1. Your body breaks them down into glucose
2. Glucose is released into your bloodstream, elevating blood sugar
3. Muscle cells step in, absorbing glucose directly from the blood
4. That absorbed glucose is either:
   • Used immediately for energy or
   • Stored in muscle cells as glycogen, a reserve energy source for later use

By removing glucose from the bloodstream, muscles help stabilize blood sugar levels, a process that works in coordination with insulin, which is produced by the pancreas. This vital function of glucose uptake has been extensively documented in scientific research. For example, a study of more than 13,000 Americans, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, reported that greater muscle mass was associated with better insulin sensitivity.¹ A similar study found that individuals with lower muscle mass tended to have higher blood glucose levels.² These findings highlight the strong connection between muscle health and blood sugar regulation.

Powering Your Metabolism from the Inside Out

Keeping your muscles healthy isn’t just about staying active and strong; it is also a crucial factor in maintaining a balanced metabolism and enjoying overall good health.

Did you know that muscles are rich in mitochondria? Think of mitochondria as tiny energy factories inside your cells, working around the clock to turn the food you eat into fuel your body can use. Muscle cells continuously require energy, even at rest. This natural activity of the body contributes to your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which reflects the energy your body uses each day for essential functions, including everyday movement and maintenance.

According to a review published in Frontiers in Physiology, strength training can increase mitochondrial density in muscle cells.³ This allows the body to use energy more efficiently, even at rest. By adopting a strength-focused exercise routine, you can stimulate mitochondrial growth and help your muscles act as the metabolic champions they’re designed to be. 

It doesn’t end there! During physical activity, your muscles release special proteins known as myokines. These signaling proteins act as messengers, helping your muscles communicate with other parts of the body to support overall health.

Myokines support several vital systems and functions in the body,⁴ including:

• Immune health
• Brain function
• Heart health
• Metabolic function
• Regulation of inflammation

Building and maintaining strong muscles isn’t just about looking good or being strong; it’s a powerful way to support your overall well-being, inside and out.

Fuel Your Muscles with Protein

Just as exercise fuels mitochondrial growth and muscle strength, dietary protein is indispensable for sustaining these vital muscle functions. Protein provides the essential amino acids muscles require to repair, build, and strengthen.

“Muscle is the foundation for an active metabolism. If you are not eating enough protein to meet your needs, your body may start breaking down muscle to access amino acids for essential functions. Muscle loss may show up as body aches, decreased strength, or weakness.” —Megan Moore, RDN, CD, CSOWM ⁵ 

As Moore emphasized, without adequate protein intake, muscles may not function optimally in their role of supporting metabolic processes. Consistently meeting your protein needs helps preserve lean body mass and supports strength. Prioritizing protein in your daily intake also supports daily energy needs, recovery, and overall health.

A meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine examined the effects of protein supplementation on muscle strength and mass. Researchers concluded that consuming protein in the range of 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day combined with regular resistance training achieved greater gains in muscle strength and size compared to those consuming less protein.⁶ When it comes to supporting muscle growth and metabolic health, adequate protein intake is key.

Consistently getting enough protein is critical not just for building muscle but for preserving it over time. A group of experts reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that consuming an adequate amount of high-quality protein in combination with physical activity may help delay age-related muscle loss.⁷

Protein Timing & Distribution

Have you ever thought about when and how you distribute your protein intake during the day? It’s more important than you might realize!

Timing and balance can make a real difference. A clinical trial published in the Journal of Nutrition found that spreading protein evenly across three meals led to significantly greater muscle protein synthesis compared to concentrating most of it in a single meal.⁸ Building on this, the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition published an expert position statement recommending that individuals aim for a protein intake of approximately 0.4 grams per kilogram of body weight per meal. The paper estimates 20 to 25 grams of protein (about 0.25 g/kg body weight) at each main meal, spaced approximately 3 to 4 hours apart throughout the day.⁹ Optimal muscle nourishment involves consistently supplying your body with moderate amounts of high-quality protein throughout the day to support repair, recovery, and lean muscle growth.

Many people find success by adjusting their protein intake around activity. As ObesityHelp community member Nancy shared, “I love the Premier Protein chocolate shakes! They taste great and don’t bother my stomach at all. I usually drink one about 3 to 4 days a week (the days I go to the gym). I switch it up and will either have a shake pre- or post-workout depending on my total nutrition intake for the day.” This kind of flexible, routine-based approach helps support muscle recovery while keeping protein intake consistent.

Common Protein Sources and How They Help

Protein comes from many different sources. Some provide all nine essential amino acids and are known as complete proteins. Others are considered incomplete and can be paired with complementary foods to form a high-quality protein. This table offers a quick comparison.

Protein Source	Complete Protein?	How it Helps
Eggs, dairy, chicken, fish	Yes	High-quality proteins that support muscle repair, strength, and daily energy.
Soy (tofu, tempeh, edamame)	Yes	A plant-based option that provides all essential amino acids.
Beans, lentils, whole grains	Not on their own	Need to be combined, like rice with beans, to provide all essential amino acids.
Nuts and Seeds	Not on their own	Provides health fats and plant-based protein; best combined with other sources.
Whey protein (shakes or powders)	Yes	Fast-absorbing; supports post-workout recovery and helps meet daily protein goals.
Casein protein	Yes	Slow-digesting; provides sustained support for muscle maintenance, especially between meals or overnight.
Plant-based protein powders (pea, rice, etc.)	Formula-dependent	Often blended to make a complete protein and are good for non-dairy lifestyles.

Protein Pairings

Combining different types of protein can be a smart strategy to support muscle nutrition and meet amino acid needs. Here are a few well-known pairings that demonstrate how different foods work together to form a complete or complementary protein:

• Rice + Beans
  A classic plant-based combination that together forms a complete protein with all essential amino acids.
• Hummus + Whole Wheat Pita
  This plant-based option brings together legumes and whole grains to form a complete protein.
• Corn + Black Beans
  Popular in Latin American cuisine, this legume and grain combo creates a complete protein with vibrant flavor and fiber.

You can also pair complementary proteins in recipes. A great example is this Vanilla Berry Chia Seed Parfait recipe, which combines Premier Protein® Vanilla flavored Protein Shake with Greek yogurt, along with berries and chia seeds.¹⁰ This pairing blends fast-digesting whey protein from the shake with slow-digesting casein protein from the yogurt. This kind of pairing is an easy way to add balance and variety to your protein intake.

Final Thoughts: Fuel Your Muscles, Fuel Your Health

Research consistently supports the role of balanced protein intake and regular exercise in promoting muscle health. Together, these healthy habits help support the important role muscles play in our body’s metabolic function. It’s time to recognize muscles as the true metabolic heroes of our body; shifting to this mindset can inspire proactive choices that support long-term health. When you care for and fuel your muscles, you help support energy, metabolic balance, and overall well-being.

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Test your knowledge:

1. What is one major way muscles help manage metabolic health?
   A) They primarily store excess dietary fat.
   B) They quickly absorb glucose from the bloodstream.
   C) They only burn calories during intense physical activity.
   D) They directly produce insulin to regulate blood sugar.

2. Why is combining fast-digesting and slow-digesting proteins beneficial for muscles?
   A) It improves digestion overall.
   B) It provides immediate and sustained amino acid delivery for continuous muscle repair.
   C) It lowers total calorie intake.
   D) It specifically targets mitochondrial growth.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Eric Klein, BS, MBA has authorship on a dozen academic peer review publications on the neurometabolism of addiction and behavior and has been involved with metabolic research and public education for over two decades. He is also the founder of ObesityHelp.com, the first online community dedicated to bariatric support and education.

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