What is loss of muscle mass?
Loss of muscle mass, known medically as muscle atrophy, occurs when muscle fibers shrink in size and strength. This leads to a loss of overall muscle tissue. It can happen due to poor nutrition, nerve damage, lack of physical activity, aging, illnesses, or hormonal imbalances.
Some key points about muscle loss:
- It is defined as a 5% or greater loss of muscle mass within a 12-month period. This can significantly impact strength and mobility.
- Muscle loss accelerates after age 30. Adults can lose up to 3-5% of muscle mass per decade after 30 years old.
- Diseases like cancer, heart failure, arthritis, and diabetes can speed up muscle loss.
- Low testosterone levels in both men and women is a common cause. Testosterone helps build and maintain muscle mass.
Signs and symptoms of muscle loss include:
- Decreased muscle strength
- Reduced endurance
- Fatigue, lethargy
- Weight loss
- Difficulty with daily tasks like climbing stairs
To prevent or treat loss of muscle mass, it's important to:
- Eat adequate protein - aim for 0.5-0.8 grams per pound of body weight per day
- Perform resistance training 2-3 times per week
- Achieve adequate rest and sleep
- Maintain proper hormone levels
If you are concerned about preserving or rebuilding lost muscle mass, the hormone optimization experts at Balanced Hormones Center can help. They specialize in customized plans to get testosterone and growth hormone levels optimized for lean muscle gain. Schedule a consultation today to learn about their cutting edge therapies to increase your strength, energy and vitality.
Some final key points on muscle atrophy:
- It can negatively impact quality of life but there are ways to counteract losses
- Good nutrition and training stimulus can help rebuild lost muscle
- See a doctor to rule out underlying illness causing accelerated loss
- Consider hormone testing and therapy for low testosterone/HGH
Let me know if you have any other questions! I'm happy to provide more details on maintaining muscle mass as we age.