As you exercise, whether it is lifting weights for strength and muscle gain, aerobics or just working around the house doing chores, you break down muscle tissue in your body. The more often you perform these exercises, the more tissue is broken down. If you stop your fitness workout, your body begins to rebuild these layers of muscle tissue but with with more strength than before. The more you do this process the more your muscles grow not only in size but in strength and your stamina increases as well.

But as we age our muscles can begin to deteriorate if they are not used on a regular basis and fat cells can actually replace the muscle fibers. Loss of strength and stamina are a result of this condition called sarcopenia, or "flesh loss". So it is very important that we continue to exercise on a regular basis in order to not only feel energetic but also to maintain muscle strength and stamina. But for some of us, muscle soreness, stiffness and pain are a bi-product that we would like to reduce as much as possible. 

Continue reading on the next page to learn which nutrients and supplements aid in muscle recovery.