What Am I Lacking If My Muscles Are Weak?

When your muscles are weak, everyday tasks can feel harder, so staying strong and getting proper nutrition are essential. Your muscles help you move, maintain good posture, and keep your metabolism running smoothly.

Along with regular exercise, consuming the right nutrients through diet and muscle health supplements can help build strength, support recovery, and keep your muscles working at their best. 

What Causes Muscle Weakness? 

If your muscles are weak, you may be experiencing deficiencies in vitamin D, potassium, calcium, vitamin B12, and/or magnesium. Other common culprits are low protein intake, insufficient hydration, or imbalanced electrolytes. 

• Vitamin D deficiency can cause conditions like poor bone health, muscle weakness, and rickets, and is associated with an increased risk of some cancers, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. It can also cause falls and reduced muscle mass.
  
  

• Potassium helps nerves and muscles communicate and move nutrients and waste around cells. Low potassium can cause muscle cramps, weakness, and fatigue. 

• Calcium is essential for muscle contraction and relaxation. Insufficient calcium (hypocalcemia) can cause muscle cramps, aches, spasms, pain when walking, and tingling in your extremities.

• Magnesium contributes to muscle and nerve function, blood sugar regulation, and protein synthesis. Deficiency can cause muscle twitches, tremors, weakness, and cramps.
  
  

• Protein provides the building blocks your muscles needs to grow, repair, and maintain strength. Older adults in particular benefit from sufficient protein intake to improve bone density and prevent muscle deterioration over time.

Can Supplements Help Strengthen Weak Muscles? 

Supplements can complement your diet to help strengthen weak muscles by:

• Reducing muscle breakdown: Supporting weak muscles and reducing deterioration

• Increasing lean muscle mass: Helping your muscles grow

• Boosting protein synthesis: Enabling your muscles to grow, repair, and maintain strength

• Enhancing recovery, resilience, and overall strength

Ingredients with clinical support include:

• Creatine monohydrate: Helps build muscles and muscle mass, and can help you feel stronger and more toned.

• myHMB®: Clinically studied version of HMB (beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate) that reduces muscle protein breakdown, boosts protein synthesis in the muscles, reduces exercise-induced muscle damage, improves strength gains from resistance training, improves body composition and boost fat loss, and maintains lean muscle. 

• Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs): Three of the nine essential amino acids, unique because they’re metabolized in your muscles instead of your liver. They ease exercise-induced muscle damage, bolster your immune system, and accelerate muscle recovery, particularly following exercise.

• Essential amino acids: The other six essential amino acids are beneficial for your overall health. They aid in the creation of neurotransmitters, support your body’s natural energy, support your immune system, and more. 

• AstraGin®: A natural compound derived from astragalus root extract. It’s clinically proven to improve nutrient absorption and helps your body absorb essential amino acids and BCAAs. 

Electrolytes also play an important role in muscle contraction and relaxation, so maintaining adequate levels and supplementing with an electrolyte supplement can help prevent cramps and optimize performance. 

When choosing supplements, look for high-quality ingredients with no added sugar or artificial additives, dyes, or chemicals. 

Before starting a new supplement, discuss changes with your healthcare provider. Some supplements and herbs can interact with each other, or with any medication you may be on, so talk with your providers to avoid interactions. 

What Supplements Help Build Muscle Strength? 

Several nutrients and compounds are known to support strength gains and muscle growth:

• Protein, including plant- and animal-based protein powder. Plant-based protein powder is just as effective as animal-based protein powder when it comes to building muscle and enhancing strength, especially if it contains a complete protein (meaning it has all nine essential amino acids).

• Leucine, isoleucine, and valine are branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) that may help reduce fatigue during and after physical activity, promote muscle protein synthesis, reduce soreness, and increase muscle mass. 

• Creatine, and particularly creatine monohydrate, is found naturally in your body and can also be obtained via food sources like seafood, meat, and eggs. It’s made up of the amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine and can increase strength and water content in your muscle cells, leading to muscle growth (and in turn, enhanced muscle strength). 

• Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants reduce inflammation, enhance muscle protein synthesis, and combat oxidative stress caused by exercise. Together, they support muscle repair and growth Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, when combined with resistance training, significantly improves muscle strength. 

Supporting Muscle Strength with the Right Nutrients

Muscle weakness can stem from nutrient deficiencies, low protein intake, or age- or illness-related changes. By giving your body adequate vitamin D, calcium, potassium, magnesium, B12, protein, and amino acids, you help maintain strength, promote recovery, and support overall muscle function.

Finding a high-quality muscle health supplement is one of the best ways to care for your muscles. Muscle Health PLUS contains ingredients that are clinically proven to support muscle health, growth, strength, and repair. Creatine monohydrate, myHMB®, BCAAs, essential amino acids, and AstraGin® all work together to reduce muscle breakdown, increase lean muscle mass, boost protein synthesis, and enhance your strength. Pairing these nutrients with a balanced diet, hydration, and regular exercise provides a comprehensive approach to maintaining strong, resilient muscles. 

See how Muscle Health PLUS can support your health goals here.