Run Britain – News – An apple a day may keep the physio away!

Ursolic acid is a waxy substance found in apple peel and research has shown that it reduces muscle wasting and promotes muscle growth in mice as well as reducing fat, blood sugar levels, cholesterol and triglycerides.

Experiments found that mice fed ursolic acid were protected from muscle atrophy caused by both fasting and nerve damage and healthy mice fed ursolic acid developed larger, stronger muscles than mice that did not receive the compound.

So what could this mean for us runners? One of the key components of fitness for distance running is strength and to be strong we need plenty of muscle fibre. We need strength in order to hold an efficient technique from the start of the run to the finish. We need strength to run against any kind of resistance including the wind, hills and even the ground itself.

We need strength to be able to increase our mileage. If we tried to progress our mileage with a weak body we would soon sucumb to injury. If you run 20 miles a week your are executing approximately 7,500 foot strikes. Your muscles, tendons and ligaments need to be strong enough to take that impact.

So perhaps an apple a day could keep the physio away – as long as you eat the peel!

Run Britain – News

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