Why Muscle is Your Most Important Organ | Alexis Cowan PhD

**Dr. Gabrielle Lyon** (0:02)
Welcome to The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show, where I believe a healthy world is based on transparent conversations.
In this episode of The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show, I sit down with the phenomenal Dr. Alexis Cowan. This episode is a very special one. We outline what muscle-centric medicine is, the components from a nutrition standpoint, from a training standpoint, and overall paradigm-shifting myth-busting episode.
It is a bit science-heavy. I encourage you to stick with it, maybe listen once or twice and understand that the core foundational principles of muscle-centric medicine have the potential to change the way we think about health and wellness.
The message here can shift the narrative from obesity-focused to muscle-centric. I will say, I cannot do it without your help and support. Now, let me tell you a little bit about Dr. Alexis. Dr. Alexis Cowan is a Princeton-trained PhD in molecular biology who operates at the interface of physiology, metabolism, and nutrition. She is evidenced, based, and truly brilliant. She has been a cornerstone in building out muscle-centric medicine, the educational properties of it. She is the lead scientific advisor for the Institute of Muscle-Centric Medicine. Please share this episode, take a moment to subscribe, to rate, to review it. If you are a healthcare provider, coach, trainer, anything that interfaces with the health and wellness world, we are here for you. Without further ado, let's dive into this episode.
Thank you to Paleo Valley for sponsoring this episode of the show.
You guys have heard me talk about this product. If you have not tried it, you absolutely should. They have a whole host of different meat sticks, beef sticks, turkey sticks. They have a cranberry, orange turkey, you name it. You can rotate through it, even teriyaki. They're absolutely delicious. Dare I say, I even crave them.
Easy to travel with, they're fermented. These sticks taste different than any beef or meat stick I have ever had. By the way, when you ferment it, it creates this natural occurring probiotic. Everyone is talking about gut health. It's the next big thing.
And I am absolutely convinced that this product supports good health overall. Go to paleovalley.com/dr.lyon and you will get 15% off. Go to paleovalley.com/dr.lyon or use the code Dr. Lyon for 15% off. Thank you to Element for sponsoring this episode of the show. Why should you be taking an electrolyte solution? Because many of us become dehydrated, we don't even know it, we are very active, and we might begin to feel things that relate to dehydration. For example, headaches, fatigue, even muscle cramps. Element is a science-backed electrolyte ratio solution, which by the way comes in a little cute powdered pack, 1,000 milligrams of sodium, 200 milligrams of potassium, 60 milligrams of magnesium. This stuff tastes amazing, and by the way, little hack, if you are on a weight loss plan where you are finding that you are hungry, throwing in a little pack of Element totally curbs your hunger. Well, at least it does for me and my patients. You've got to try this stuff, get on the bandwagon. If you have not already, go to www.drinklmnt.com/dr.lyon. You will get eight free single serving packs. It's a great way to share it. No risks. They will refund you if you don't like it, but you will. That's www.drinklmnt.com/dr.lyon. Dr. Alexis, how are you?

**Dr. Alexis Cowan** (4:28)
So happy to be here, it's been too long.

**Dr. Gabrielle Lyon** (4:31)
We joke and say it's been too long, but the truth is we probably talk every day, share studies and look at new research frequently. Before we... It is a fact. Before we dive into this, I want to clarify some things. What is muscle-centric medicine? Muscle-centric medicine is an approach to medicine that acknowledges the health of one's body's skeletal muscle tissue that has a significant impact on the health of other organ systems within the body. It is a perspective rooted in actionable behavioral recommendations capable of improving the physical health and sense of well-being of patients and people like yourself, as well as providers, health coaches, trainers, you name it, both acutely and in the long term.
I do want to mention, we talk about a lot of different terms. Dr. Alexis and I are going to mention a lot of different terms. She's been on the podcast earlier, and we will also be starting a journal club, which will be kicking off in January. But to lay the foundation for you, what is muscle? Muscle, the skeletal muscle organ system is the largest organ in the body, not skin. It comprises about 40% of body weight, which seems to be pretty consistent. Dr. Alexis and I have looked into the literature because I've had some questions as, is it really 40%? Does that vary with weight? But 40% seems to be a consistent number. It is important for movement, posture, temperature, glucose regulation, also known as homeostasis, soft tissue support and metabolism. Skeletal muscle is a striated muscle tissue that is attached to bones via tendons. And unlike the other two muscle tissue types, which are smooth and cardiac, skeletal muscle is under voluntary control.