Muscle Glycogen Testing
(MuscleSound®)
Muscle glycogen (carbohydrates) is our primary fuel source for growth and movement. Weatherwax is the first sports RD in Ohio to use MuscleSound® technology. It is a cutting edge approach that utilizes ultrasound technology to measure how many carbohydrates are in the muscle. This test assesses if the athlete is eating enough calories and how the current nutrient intake is working. Eating ideally impacts growth and many other functions in the body. It also impacts an athlete's training, body composition and helps develop a nutritional program most pertinent to performance needs.
What is Muscle Glycogen &
Why it's Important
Making up about 40% of total body mass, muscle health correlates with the ability of the working muscles to store, generate and replenish energy. Muscle health plays a critical role throughout the body, influencing a variety of body functions such as breathing, metabolism, digestion, blood circulation, the immune system, blood glucose regulation, and quality of life. A multitude of factors influence muscle health: stress, illness, body composition, fatigue, nutrition, sleep, injury, surgery, activity and travel. Tracking your muscle health is crucial in optimizing athletic performance and overall wellbeing - greater muscle health enhancing metabolism resulting in longer fat burn and training/performance efficiency. Uncovering information regarding ones muscle health can greatly assist in designing a nutrition and training program specific to the needs of the individual. Thereby...
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maximizing the ability to maintain, use and replenish muscle energy (muscle glycogen).
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maximizing muscle symmetry for equal power output
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maximizing metabolism
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facilitating a faster recovery from illness
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optimizing prevention from type 2 diabetes
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optimizing prevention of heart disease
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improving blood-sugar control
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improving daily energy
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improving balance
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reducing fall risk
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maximizing sleep and mental health
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easing arthritis pain
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reducing physical pains and aches (e.g. back)
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MuscleSound®
Using ultrasound technology, within minutes this non-invasive approach can measure an athlete’s muscle glycogen (your primary fuel source) throughout the body and determine how effective an athlete's training is while assisting to develop a nutritional program most pertinent to performance needs. This innovative technology provides a digital and visual comprehensive analysis of muscle size, quality and fuel level throughout the body. Easily portable and equally as accurate as the Bod Pod, the MuscleSound® can track an individual's muscle health throughout the body over time. The MuscleSound® report provides actionable data as to which muscles score higher and which are sub-optimal while also providing information as to how the score compares to the general population.
Currently, MuscleSound® is being used at the collegiate and professional level, including the University of Colorado Buffaloes and the NBA Dallas Mavericks. The MuscleSound® can be used as follows:
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Muscle Fuel Evaluation: the majority of energy the body uses comes from fat and glycogen. At higher exercise intensities, glycogen becomes the primary fuel source as fat stores cannot be converted quick enough to meet physical performance demands. The MuscleSound® is capable of accurately measuring the exact "readiness" levels required for an exercise or event. Athletes whom may benefit from testing may include triathletes, long-distance runners, obstacle course participants (e.g. Tough Mudders), bootcamp/training programs.
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Monitor Recovery: injured muscles have less capacity to store and utilize glycogen and fat (muscle fuel) than healthy muscles. Through the rehabilitation phase, muscle begins to heal and its capacity improves. While in recovery, taking the guesswork out of rehab and facilitating a faster return to sport/activity, the MuscleSound® can paint a picture of progress and assess the extent and success of the recovery process. Those whom may benefit from testing my include those recovering from injury, training for an event, feeling fatigued, pursuing weight loss, or is a young athlete.
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Muscle Size: for individuals recovering from injury, the MuscleSound® can be used to measure injury upon initial onset and determine atrophy effects. Such information can be used in-hand with muscle recovery data in ensuring recovery progress while facilitating a faster return to sport/activity.
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Over-Training: used in-hand with data collected from muscle size and recovery, the MuscleSound® can measure the extent of muscle breakdown at the cellular level related to heavy demands of sport and repetitive activity inhibiting accurate recovery.
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Muscle Symmetry: the MuscleSound® can be used in ensuring an individual is getting the most out of their training regimen. By providing a biological blueprint through muscle analysis of both the right and left sides of the body, the MuscleSound® can help to determine how to reach an individual's goals, including increasing power output and achieving a better body efficiency through symmetry. Those who have suffered previous injury, with stagnant fitness results, or suffering from current physical ailments may benefit from testing as well as athletes participating outdoor sports (e.g. cyclists, runners, swimmers) or anyone training for an event.
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Muscle Efficiency: aligned with muscle symmetry testing, the MuscleSound® can be used in ensuring an individual is getting the most out of their training regimen and workout routine while staving off injury. Through thorough analysis, the MuscleSound® can help optimize quality of life through determining how to improve agility and strength throughout the aging process. Muscle Efficiency testing can help an individual to feel their best, reduce risk of ailments and injury, and reduce risk of falls while increasing the ability to stay active and moving well. Those aged 65+, with a previous injury, in need in monitoring muscle balance and anyone interested in event training can benefit from Muscle Efficiency testing.