Muscle loss, also known as muscle atrophy, refers to the gradual loss of muscle tissue. This can occur due to various factors like aging, illness, injury or inactivity. It can have significant effects on physical functioning, mobility, metabolism and quality of life.
Some key things to understand about muscle loss:
- Sarcopenia is the medical term for age-related muscle loss. It's a natural part of aging, but can be accelerated by inactivity and poor nutrition. Sarcopenia makes everyday tasks more difficult.
- Disuse atrophy occurs when a limb is immobilized for an extended period of time, such as being in a cast. The lack of use causes the muscles to waste away quite rapidly.
- When you're sick or hospitalized for a long time, muscle wasting can happen very quickly. Several pounds may be lost in a couple weeks. This makes recovery much harder.
- Other conditions like cancer, kidney disease, COPD, HIV and nerve disorders can also trigger excessive muscle wasting. Specific treatments may be needed.
So what causes muscle fibers to shrink and weaken? Simply put, when muscles aren't being used regularly, the body breaks down the proteins in the muscle tissue. Without stimuli to maintain size and strength, the muscles get smaller and weaker. Age-related hormonal changes also contribute to the process over time.
The good news is muscle loss can often be reduced through exercise, good nutrition, and in some cases, hormone therapy. Getting sufficient protein, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc and engaging in
resistance training tailored for your needs and fitness level can help tremendously. Our clinicians at
Hormone Harmony specialize in customized programs to counteract muscle loss and support overall vitality. With a science-based regimen, it's never too late to gain strength, mobility and renewed wellbeing!
To summarize - muscle loss is a common problem with many causes, ranging from aging to illness to inactivity. Key terms related to this topic are sarcopenia, disuse atrophy, muscle wasting, and conditions like cancer or COPD. The process involves the breakdown of muscle proteins due to insufficient stimuli to maintain mass. Customized exercise, nutrition and
hormone therapies can help substantially. Reach out to us at
Hormone Harmony to learn more!