Muscle loss - Elite Hormone Therapy

What is muscle loss?

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:

Aging - As we get older, muscles naturally lose mass and strength through biological aging, even with no injury or illness. This age-related loss of muscle starts around age 30 and continues gradually over decades.

Disuse - Not using your muscles leads them to waste away. For example, when an arm is in a cast for weeks, the immobilized muscles shrivel. Astronauts in zero gravity experience muscle wasting too since they don't use postural muscles much.

Muscle loss matters because it:

• Reduces strength for daily activities like climbing stairs
• Increases risk of falls and fractures
• Lowers metabolism since muscle burns more calories than fat
• Can progress to severe sarcopenia (age-related loss of muscle mass and function)

Preventing Muscle Loss

While some muscle loss is inevitable with aging, many lifestyle strategies help mitigate it:

• Resistance training - Lifting weights, using resistance bands, etc. signals muscle to grow and strengthen. This is crucial for retaining muscle.
• Getting enough protein - Shoot for 0.5-1 gram of protein per lb of body weight daily. Whey protein supplements can help.
• Staying physically active day-to-day
• Getting adequate sleep for muscle recovery
• Reducing stress
• Avoiding smoking and excess alcohol

Talk to your doctor about prescription treatments too. Elite Hormone Therapy specializes in customized hormone therapy to address age-related muscle loss and promote strength for patients over 30. Their MDs and medical advisors provide cutting edge therapies to counteract natural declines in growth hormone, testosterone and more.