It is often said that muscles are heavier than fat. But is that really true? And how big is the weight difference between fat and muscle? FITBOOK explains.
A kilogram of feathers is as heavy as a kilogram of lead. Logically, one kilogram of muscle weighs the same as one kilogram of fat. So strictly speaking, it’s nonsense that muscle can be heavier than fat. But what can be said: The volume density of muscles is higher than that of fat.
Muscle mass is denser than fat
The difference in terms of volume ratio is really not blatant, but it is there. A liter of fat weighs about 0.92 kilograms. A liter of muscle mass would weigh a little more: around 1.06 kilograms.
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If one muscular man weighs significantly more than another of the same height, then he has more muscle mass, while the other probably has more fat mass.
The number of muscle and fat cells cannot be changed
Incidentally, you cannot change the number of fat or muscle cells in your body through exercise. This is a matter of assessment. However, it is possible to increase the size of the existing muscle cells (through training and a protein-rich diet). Fat cells work a little differently by storing their contents and expanding, so to speak.
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FITBOOK received professional advice from the staff of the physiotherapy center Physion in Frankfurt am Main.