Loss of muscle - Hormone Solutions

What is Loss of Muscle?

Muscle loss, also known as muscle atrophy, occurs when muscle cells shrink or degrade. This leads to weaker, smaller muscles and a reduced ability to move and generate force.

Some key points about muscle loss:

• It can happen due to lack of physical activity, immobilization from injury/illness, malnutrition, aging, and diseases like cancer or heart failure.
• Disuse atrophy specifically refers to muscle loss from not using your muscles enough. For example, being bedridden after surgery can cause significant muscle wasting in just a few days.
• Muscle cells need to be stimulated through resistance exercise and physical activity. Without this, they can rapidly lose protein, strength and mass.
• Sarcopenia refers to the gradual muscle loss associated with aging. On average, people lose about 1% of their muscle mass each year after age 30.

How can you prevent muscle loss?

• Exercise regularly - this gives muscles the external stimulus they require to stay active and maintain mass. Any activity like walking, sports or strength training works.
• Eat enough protein - amino acids from protein are essential to build and maintain muscle. Older adults should aim for 1-1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight daily.
• Try creatine and vitamin D supplements - some research shows these can help boost muscle strength and growth when combined with exercise.
• Use muscles or else you lose them! Stay active through injuries, hospital stays, traveling and periods of inactivity to prevent excessive wasting.

What are the consequences of muscle loss?

• Weakness - smaller, fewer muscle fibers cannot generate the same power as before. Daily activities like climbing stairs or carrying objects can become very difficult.
• Mobility loss - over time it becomes harder to walk, stand up from chairs, balance, and live independently. This increases injury risk from falls.
• Lower calorie burn - more muscle equals higher daily energy expenditure. So losing muscle decreases the number of calories you naturally burn each day.
• Higher risk of death - low muscle mass is linked with higher mortality rates, especially in the elderly. One study found a 3-5x higher likelihood of death over 3 years in seniors with the lowest muscle mass.

In summary, use it or lose it applies to our muscles. Allowing too much breakdown without repair and growth can accelerate losses in strength, mobility and metabolism. The good news is exercise and protein can help counteract muscle wasting at any age!