Does running cause muscle loss?

Many people like to run every morning and evening. This is a very good habit. Fitness running exercises are generally better arranged in the morning. The air in the morning is fresh. Fresh air is also very beneficial to the respiratory system. It can effectively help us to achieve the effect of invigorating the spirit and promoting metabolism. It can effectively help us maintain vitality for a day. Let's find out whether running will cause muscle loss.

1. Long-distance running can reduce fat and muscle, but short-distance sprinting cannot. Because in endurance sports such as jogging or cycling, slow muscle fibers will gradually grow larger, but fast muscle fibers, the main force for muscle growth, will not grow significantly, and may even atrophy.

In addition, when the amount of exercise reaches 60% of the maximum heart rate, the body consumes more fat than sugar (glycogen) or protein (muscle). But if the exercise intensity is higher, that is, above 75% of the maximum heart rate, the body will directly use fat, sugar and protein as energy sources. In other words, the harder you train, the more calories you burn.

2. Although aerobic exercise is an effective way to burn fat, long-term aerobic exercise burns not only fat but also muscle.

Sprint running can develop leg muscles, but long-distance running (aerobic exercise) has the effect of reducing muscle mass. If your goal is to gain muscle and build bodybuilding, and you don't have much body fat, you can reduce your running time. In fact, muscle building itself can also help reduce fat.

Running may achieve the effect of muscle training to a certain extent, but the effect is not very obvious. Running can help some of our obese female friends to promote fat burning and achieve a good weight loss effect. It is not advisable to run after a meal as it may reduce the secretion of gastric acid and affect the digestion of food.