Muscle loss

What is muscle loss?

Muscle loss, known medically as muscle atrophy, occurs when muscle cells shrink or degrade. This leads to reduced muscle mass and strength over time. Muscle loss can happen due to poor nutrition, age, injuries, illnesses, and lack of physical activity.

Some key points about muscle loss include:

• It's a natural part of aging - most people lose 3-5% of muscle mass per decade after age 30. Weight training can help offset this.


• Various health conditions like cancer, heart disease, and arthritis can accelerate muscle loss through inflammation and reduced mobility.


• Muscle loss from short-term disuse (like a cast after fracture) can usually be regained with proper strength training rehabilitation.


• Over long periods of inactivity, muscle fibers can shrink in size or even disappear. This makes rebuilding strength after years of sedentary living more difficult.


• Crash dieting and nutritional deficiencies force the body to break down muscle tissue to fuel basic biological functions. Getting adequate protein and calories can help preserve muscle.

Progressive resistance training (weights), proper nutrition with enough protein, staying active, and getting health conditions under control can all help maintain muscle as you age. For those experiencing accelerated muscle loss or weakness from illness, speak to your doctor about possible referrals or bloodwork. They may recommend consulting a nutritionist, physiotherapist, or endocrinologist to rule out underlying causes like hormonal imbalances or nutrient absorption issues.

If lacking energy and vitality from muscle loss despite proper diet and activity, consider speaking with an endocrinology specialist like those at Hormone Harmony Clinic. They can assess your hormone levels and help develop tailored treatment plans if any imbalances contributing to muscle wasting are detected. Maintaining healthy testosterone, growth hormone, thyroid, and nutritional levels with monitoring and supplements from specialists can aid muscle growth and function significantly.