Eat Your Spinach! Popeye was Right!

. . .  spinach makes you strong A study just in from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden has proven cartoon character Popeye, who downed a can of spinach whenever he needed extra strength, knew what he was doing. In tests with mice, nitrates, which are found in vegetables like spinach, beets (root), chard and lettuce, had a powerful effect on boosting muscle strength. The particular muscles strengthened, the so-called “fast-twitch muscles,” are those used in lifting weights or sprinting up a steep hill. The researchers discovered that nitrates stimulate production of two proteins which release calcium into muscle. Calcium is used in muscle contraction, and the more calcium that is available, the stronger the contraction will be. Stronger contractions build muscle strength; when muscles are stronger, they don’t need to contract as frequently and don’t fatigue as quickly. The amount of nitrate needed was what you could expect to find in either half a pound of spinach or 2-3 beets. As researcher Andres Hernandez commented, these amounts are easily obtained as long as you’re someone who eats their vegetables. The research team hopes to undertake human trials soon and that their work will eventually help people with muscle weakness, muscle diseases and aging muscles. People often believe they need to bulk up with protein powders or large servings of meat to build strong muscles. It’s not true, and this study demonstrates the power of vegetables to build and strengthen muscles.

NYDailyNews.com. Popeye is right: Spinach can make you stronger. Published online June 26, 2012.

Hernandez A. Dietary nitrate increases tetanic [Ca2+]i and contractile force in mouse fast-twitch muscle. The Journal of Physiology. Published online before print, June 11, 2012.