Teens Who Eat Ultraprocessed Foods Have Lower Muscle Mass - Feb 2025
The Feb 2024 study
Higher ultra processed foods intake is associated with low muscle mass in young to middle-aged adults: a cross-sectional NHANES study
Weiliang Kong*Weiliang Kong1*Yilian XieYilian Xie2Jingjing HuJingjing Hu1Weiping DingWeiping Ding1Chao Cao*Chao Cao1*
- 1Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Ningbo, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- 2Department of Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
Design: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have become a pressing global health concern, prompting investigations into their potential association with low muscle mass in adults.
Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 10,255 adults aged 20−59 years who participated in the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) during cycles spanning from 2011 to 2018. The primary outcome, low muscle mass, was assessed using the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) definition, employing restricted cubic splines and weighted multivariate regression for analysis. Sensitivity analysis incorporated three other prevalent definitions to explore optimal cut points for muscle quality in the context of sarcopenia.
Results: The weighted prevalence of low muscle mass was 7.65%. Comparing the percentage of UPFs calories intake between individuals with normal and low muscle mass, the values were found to be similar (55.70 vs. 54.62%). Significantly linear associations were observed between UPFs consumption and low muscle mass (P for non-linear = 0.7915, P for total = 0.0117). Upon full adjustment for potential confounding factors, participants with the highest UPFs intake exhibited a 60% increased risk of low muscle mass (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.13 to 2.26, P for trend = 0.003) and a decrease in ALM/BMI (β = −0.0176, 95% CI: −0.0274 to −0.0077, P for trend = 0.003). Sensitivity analysis confirmed the consistency of these associations, except for the International Working Group on Sarcopenia (IWGS) definition, where the observed association between the highest quartiles of UPFs (%Kcal) and low muscle mass did not attain statistical significance (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 0.97 to 1.87, P for trend = 0.082).
Conclusion: Our study underscores a significant linear association between higher UPFs consumption and an elevated risk of low muscle mass in adults. These findings emphasize the potential adverse impact of UPFs on muscle health and emphasize the need to address UPFs consumption as a modifiable risk factor in the context of sarcopenia.
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VitaminDWiki - Ultra-processed foods associated with worse health and lower Vitamin D - many studies
VitaminDwiki – Muscles and Vitamin D - many studies contains
To build muscles you need more than just Vitamin D
also need Exercise, Protein, Magnesium, Omega-3, and activated Vitamin D Receptors
In fact, Vitamin D monotherapy sometimes DECREASES muscles.
Notes on Vitamin D Receptor:
Vitamin D Receptors get vitamin D in the blood to the muscle cells
Approximately 20% of people have poor vitamin D receptors
As people age, their Vitamin D receptors also become less activated
There are 12+ low-cost activators for the Vitamin D Receptor
142+ VitaminDWiki pages have MUSCLE in the title
Dr. Greger on Vitamin D and Muscles - May 2020
Vitamin D Supplements for Increasing Aging Muscle Strength
- "We have known for more than 400 years that muscle weakness is a common presenting symptom of vitamin D deficiency"
- conservative "U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the official prevention guideline setting body, and the American Geriatric Society to “recommend vitamin D supplementation for persons who are at high risk of falls.”
- AGS recommends 4,000 IU to capture 92 percent of the population"