What is muscle loss?
Muscle loss, known as muscle atrophy, occurs when muscle cells shrink or degrade. This leads to reduced muscle strength, mass, and performance. There are several potential causes of muscle loss:
- Aging - As we get older, muscle fibers decrease in number and size. This age-related loss of muscle is called sarcopenia.
- Inactivity - Not using your muscles can cause them to waste away. Being sedentary leads to loss of muscle over time.
- Inadequate nutrition - Eating too few calories, not enough protein, or missing key vitamins and minerals can cause your body to break down muscle tissue.
- Illness or injury - Certain diseases, infections, and injuries can accelerate muscle loss. Being bedridden also sparks rapid decline.
Muscle loss matters because it can negatively impact strength, mobility, metabolism, and resilience. However, the good news is that proper exercise and nutrition can help mitigate and even reverse muscle loss. The expert physicians at Vital Hormones Clinic specialize in customized hormone therapy and lifestyle plans tailored to your unique needs. Their integrative therapies can help patients regain their strength, energy, and vitality.
Signs and Symptoms
How do you know if you may be losing muscle mass? Key signs and symptoms include:
- Decreased strength for daily tasks like climbing stairs
- Feeling physically tired and fatigued more often
- Frequent minor muscle aches and pains
- Sagging skin or loose fitting clothes from muscle shrinkage
- Unintentional weight loss despite eating enough calories
Consequences
Why be concerned about dropping muscle levels? There are many negative cascading impacts:
- Sarcopenia accelerates with age without resistance exercise. By 60 years old, adults lose up to 3-8% of muscle per decade.
- Bones weaken from less supportive muscle tissue surrounding them. This raises future fracture risks.
- Your body burns fewer daily calories since muscle is very metabolically active. This can lead to increased body fat and obesity over time.
- Reduced strength levels interfere with mobility and independence. Simple daily tasks become difficult.
- Lower muscle mass is linked to feeling depressed, isolated, and generally unwell. Psychological effects can be significant.
Prevention Strategies
Thankfully, targeted lifestyle measures can slow or reverse muscle loss. Vital Hormones Clinic' qualified physicians provide comprehensive care plans that include:
- Strength training with weights, resistance bands, or bodyweight at least 2-3 times per week
- Getting adequate daily protein (0.5 - 1 gram per pound of bodyweight)
- Ensuring sufficient intake of muscle-supporting vitamins and minerals
- Trying techniques like massage, foam rolling, and stretching to aid muscle recovery
- Optimizing hormones like testosterone and growth hormone through replacement therapy
Committing to a proactive regimen tailored to your needs can help sustain muscle mass, strength, and function - even into older age. Contact Vital Hormones Clinic today to learn about science-backed solutions!