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Muscles are a tissue in  the human body used for producing force and causing motion. Muscles  make up more than 40% of  the weight of an average adult male and about 30% of an adult female. The higher the percentage of  muscle in the body, the higher the metabolic rate. People with high metabolic rates can eat a lot of food, without putting on any weight. Conversely, a person with a lower amount of muscle, will put on weight despite eating fewer calories daily.

Muscle tissue consists of  70-75% water, 15-20% Protein and smaller amounts of glycogen, vitamins, minerals and fat. Muscles are built up by through a process called anabolism. The diet should include sufficient nutrients for muscle development. The person should do suitable resistance exercises to stimulate the cells involved in muscle development. Since muscle tissue repairs itself and grows while the body is resting, a person should sleep for at least 8 hours.

The muscles on the upper part of  the body can be developed through weight training with dumb bells. However, weight training should be gradual, start with lower weights and then increasing gradually. It should be done only on alternate days, so that the muscles can repair themselves. Performing boxing movements will also help in building muscles of the upper body.  Leg muscles can be built by doing squats or sprinting. Before sprinting, you should warm up for some time. Sprinting is advisable only if  you are physically fit  and medical clearance from a doctor is recommended

Supplements can help a person build muscle faster. If  your diet contains sufficient nutrients, they may not be required. Protein, Creatine, Glutamine, Multi-Vitamin, Natural Test Booster, HMB, Growth Hormone, NO (Nitric Oxide), Anti-Estrogens are some of the widely used supplements.  Protein is the most essential supplement required for building muscles, and a person should take about 2 g of protein for every kg of  body weight.

Since whey protein is digested very quickly in about 30 minutes by the body, it is eaten immediately after workouts, when the body needs protein. Casein, Albumin (Egg), Soy also contain proteins, but the body takes 1.5  to 7 hours to digest these proteins. If  the body does not have sufficient carbohydrates due to dieting or starvation, the body uses up protein stored in the muscles, and the person loses muscle mass.

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