Loss of muscle mass

What is loss of muscle mass?

Muscle loss, known medically as muscle atrophy, occurs when muscle fibers shrink and weaken over time. This leads to a loss of muscle strength and often a decrease in motor skills that rely on muscle strength and control.

Some key points about muscle atrophy:

• It can happen due to injury, joint immobilization, malnutrition, aging, and certain diseases or medications


• Muscle cells lose protein content and organelles when they atrophy


• People may experience fatigue, weakness, instability, or other issues


• Resistance training and ensuring proper protein intake can help offset muscle loss

What causes muscle wasting?

There are a few potential causes of muscle atrophy:

• Disuse - Immobility due to bedrest, casting, or braces can trigger muscle loss


• Nerve damage - Neurological diseases can interrupt neural signals to muscles


• Aging - Hormonal changes and decreased activity lead to loss over time


• Malnutrition - Lack of protein or vitamins weakens muscle


• Diseases - Certain conditions directly impact muscle health

To keep our muscle strength and function as we age, it’s important to understand and address what may be causing any personal muscle loss.

Need help protecting your muscle health?

Renew Hormone Clinic() specializes in hormone therapy to address age-related muscle loss and get you feeling strong and energetic again. Their customized plans help both men and women optimize hormones for peak health and fitness.

How can you prevent muscle wasting?

While some amount of muscle loss due to aging may be inevitable, there are things you can do to retain muscle function longer:

• Engage in strength training using free weights, resistance bands, or bodyweight at least 2-3 times a week


• Meet daily protein intake goals - eat foods like meat, eggs, nuts and legumes


• Do balance exercises like yoga or Tai Chi to improve motor control


• Get adequate sleep and manage stress levels


• Ask your doctor if medications could be causing muscle loss

Building lean muscle takes work, but pays off in terms of health, mobility, and independence. Minor losses add up over time - it's smart to employ muscle-saving strategies throughout life.

I hope this overview on muscle atrophy has helped explain what it is, what causes it, and how to reduce loss from occurring too rapidly. Let me know if you have any other questions!