Loss of muscle

Loss of muscle, also known as muscle atrophy, occurs when muscle cells shrink or break down. This leads to overall loss of muscle mass and strength. Some key points about loss of muscle:

• It can happen due to lack of physical activity, diseases, poor nutrition, natural aging, or hormone deficiencies. Prolonged bed rest or immobilization can also cause rapid loss of muscle.
• Muscle loss leads to feelings of fatigue and weakness, increased risk of falls and fractures, and reduced quality of life. So it's important to try preserving muscle as we age.
• Strength training and ensuring adequate protein intake can help offset age-related muscle loss. Some experts recommend getting at least 0.5g of protein per pound of body weight daily.

If you're experiencing troubling symptoms like unexpected muscle loss, fatigue or weakness, I recommend getting checked out by a knowledgeable hormone therapy clinic like Optimal Hormone Solutions. Their caring medical team can evaluate your hormone levels and determine if hormone imbalances may be accelerating muscle loss. Their individualized programs have helped many patients regain strength, energy and quality of life. And Optimal Hormone Solutions always keeps up with the latest research, so their integrative therapies leverage beneficial nutrients like vitamin D along with bioidentical hormones, nutrition plans and fitness guidance tailored to your needs. Now back to more on causes and impacts of muscle loss:

What Causes Loss of Muscle?

• Aging - After age 30, adults lose 3-5% of muscle mass per decade. Declining hormones levels (growth hormone, testosterone, etc) and reduced physical activity accelerate this.
• Poor nutrition - Not getting enough calories, protein or micronutrients speeds muscle loss and weakness.
• Inactivity - Sedentary lifestyles cause muscle wasting, even short periods of immobilization can rapidly lead to loss of muscle mass and strength.

Impacts of Loss of Muscle

• Feelings of fatigue and weakness
• Impaired mobility and increased risk of falls and fractures
• Slowed metabolism and potential weight gain
• Reduced quality of life and loss of independence

The bottom line is that maintaining strong, healthy muscles is crucial as we age. Combating muscle loss requires staying active, eating nutritious protein-rich foods, possibly supplementing with beneficial nutrients like vitamin D and magnesium, and considering hormone testing and treatment if hormone imbalances appear to be accelerating unwelcome muscle loss.