Nutrition for Muscle Cell Function

When you think of muscles, you likely think of your skeletal muscle tissue -- the type that attaches to your bones to allow for movement. However, you also have other types of muscle. Cardiac muscle keeps your heart pumping strong, driving your circulation, while the smooth muscle tissue found in your blood vessels, airways and digestive tract maintain your circulation and allow for proper digestion. A healthy diet rich in nutrients nourishes your muscle tissue, and specific nutrients play a role in muscle function.


Protein nourishes your muscle tissue and contributes to muscle cell function. Your lean muscle tissue contains large amounts of protein, and your muscle cells continually destroy old proteins to make way for new ones in a process called protein turnover. Generating new muscle proteins requires amino acids, which you obtain from the protein in your diet. If you don't consume enough protein, you cannot produce enough new muscle proteins to replace the protein that is lost, leading to an overall decrease in your muscle mass. Your protein intake requirements depend on your activity level -- sedentary individuals need just 0.4 gram of protein for each pound of body weight, while athletes might need twice as much protein, according to Georgetown University.

Potassium, Calcium and Sodium

Minerals -- including potassium, sodium and calcium -- also facilitate muscle function. Each of your muscle fibers connects to a nerve cell. When the nerve cell activates, it triggers a contraction in the connected muscle fiber. Sodium, potassium and calcium all help your nerves transmit small electrical impulses, called action potentials, which are important for initiating a muscle contraction. You need to consume 4,700 milligrams of potassium and 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily, according to the Institute of Medicine. Your body also requires small amounts of sodium -- 1,500 milligrams daily, recommends the IOM -- but you likely already get enough sodium in your diet without aiming for more sodium consumption.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D promotes muscle function by nourishing your skeleton. It keeps your bones dense and skeleton strong, so your skeletal muscles can do their job. Consuming vitamin D also plays a role in muscle strength. Individuals suffering a vitamin D deficiency tend to have less muscle strength and experience a decline in physical performance, according to a study published in "Molecular Aspects of Medicine" in 2008. While the role of vitamin D in muscle function requires further investigation, consuming 15 micrograms, or 600 international units -- your recommended daily intake, according to the IOM -- helps prevent a deficiency.

Eating for Healthy Muscles

Incorporate lots of lean protein into your diet -- skinless chicken or turkey breast, tuna and fish all serve as rich protein sources that contain only small amounts of fat. Whole grains, lentils, beans and other legumes also boost your protein intake. Incorporate potatoes, prunes, bananas and raisins into your diet as sources of potassium. Consume dark leafy greens to boost your calcium intake, or reach for dairy products as a source of both calcium and vitamin D.

Serve a baked potato with wilted spinach, lean ground turkey and a dollop of Greek yogurt, or stuff a whole-grain wrap with kale, sliced chicken breast and low-fat for convenient meals that support your muscles.