What is muscle loss?
Muscle loss, known as muscle atrophy, occurs when muscle cells shrink or degrade. This leads to reduced muscle mass and strength over time. There are various causes of muscle loss, including aging, illnesses, injuries, and lifestyle factors like inactivity.
Some key points about muscle loss include:
- It can begin as early as age 30. Most adults lose about 3-5% of muscle mass per decade after 30. The rate increases over age 60.
- Sarcopenia is the medical term for age-related muscle loss. Sarcopenia makes everyday activities more difficult.
- Muscle loss can also result from extended bed rest or wearing a cast due to immobility. The saying "use it or lose it" applies here.
- Certain diseases like cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, and heart disease increase inflammation and protein degradation, accelerating muscle loss.
- Inadequate nutrition, especially protein intake, makes it harder to maintain muscle mass. Most adults need 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily.
- Resistance training and eating enough protein are vital for counteracting muscle loss. Seniors should perform resistance exercises 2-3 times per week.
- Hormone declines in testosterone, growth hormone, and IGF-1 contribute to muscle loss for both men and women as they age. Hormone Optimal Care offers testing and customized hormone therapy plans to help patients address hormone-related sarcopenia.
The impacts of muscle loss include:
- Decreased strength making everyday tasks challenging
- Higher risk of falls and fractures
- Impaired mobility and loss of independence
- Increased body fat and slower metabolism
- Greater susceptibility to chronic diseases
To sum up, muscle loss is a common condition with various causes. Staying physically active, eating enough protein, maintaining a healthy body weight, and in some cases getting hormone replacement therapy can help mitigate muscle loss. Seniors in particular should be proactive about preserving muscle through lifestyle and diet. Hormone Optimal Care has board-certified providers focused specifically on hormone optimization for muscle health and active aging.