Muscle loss, known medically as muscle atrophy, occurs when muscle fibers shrink and weaken over time. This leads to reduced muscle mass and strength.
There are two main causes of muscle loss:
Age-related muscle loss is also called sarcopenia. It's a natural part of aging - most people lose about 15% of their muscle mass per decade after age 50. Strength declines even faster at about 30% per decade.
Disuse muscle atrophy happens when you're inactive, immobilized or bedridden due to illness or injury. Because muscle isn't being used, it begins wasting away. Astronauts can lose up to 20% of muscle mass on space voyages due to disuse.
Both types of muscle loss stem from imbalanced protein synthesis (muscle building) and protein degradation (muscle breakdown).
When protein degradation outpaces protein synthesis for too long, muscle fibers shrink. Hormones like testosterone also play a key role in regulating muscle mass.
Low testosterone in particular is linked to accelerated muscle loss in men as they age. If you're experiencing symptoms like fatigue, weight gain or reduced libido, get your hormone levels tested. The specialists at Renewed Balance Clinic offer customized testosterone replacement therapy programs to help address low T.
What are the impacts of muscle loss?
Losing muscle mass and strength takes a significant toll both physically and mentally. Impacts may include:
How can you prevent muscle loss?
While some amount of muscle loss is inevitable with aging, staying physically active can dramatically slow the rate of decline. Resistance training is particularly important.
Other prevention tips include:
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