Logan Steele
Losing muscle mass is rarely anyone's goal, but it can happen unintentionally. Muscle wasting or atrophy is a condition where muscle mass decreases or withers away. This can be caused by several factors, including malnutrition, age, genetics, a lack of physical activity, or certain medical conditions. While there are various ways to measure muscle mass, such as DEXA scans, body-fat scales, and mobile apps, there are also some telltale signs that you may be losing muscle mass. For example, you may notice a decrease in muscle definition or a strong ammonia odour in your sweat after working out. Experiencing these signs may indicate the need to adjust your diet and exercise routine to maintain and rebuild muscle mass.
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What You'll Learn
Neurogenic atrophy
If you're concerned about losing muscle mass and strength, one possible cause could be neurogenic atrophy, a type of muscle atrophy or wasting that occurs as a result of damage to or destruction of the nerves that control those muscles. This condition can lead to significant muscle loss and is often accompanied by weakness and a decrease in muscle function.
- Injury or Trauma: Physical trauma, such as a car accident or a sports injury, can damage the nerves directly or put pressure on them, leading to neurogenic atrophy.
- Infections: Certain infections, like Guillain-Barré syndrome or Lyme disease, can inflame or damage the nerves, interfering with their ability to transmit signals to muscles.
- Autoimmune Disorders: In these conditions, the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and damages the nerves. Multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis are examples of such disorders.
- Diabetic Neuropathy: High blood sugar levels in diabetics can harm nerves throughout the body, often affecting the legs and feet first.
- Spinal Issues: Compression of the spinal cord or nerve roots, such as from a herniated disc or spinal stenosis, can cause neurogenic atrophy in the corresponding muscles.
- Stroke: When blood flow to the brain is interrupted, the resulting damage may include nerve cells that control muscle movement.
The symptoms of neurogenic atrophy can vary depending on the underlying cause and the specific nerves involved. Some common signs include:
- Muscle weakness: This is often the first noticeable symptom, where activities that were once easy now feel more challenging.
- Muscle wasting or atrophy: Visible shrinkage of the muscles occurs over time, giving them a thinner appearance.
- Twitching or fasciculations: Uncontrollable twitching of individual muscle fibers may be observed.
- Cramps and pain: These can occur due to the imbalance between nerve signals and muscle function.
- Loss of coordination: Without proper nerve input, movements may become clumsy or uncoordinated.
- Changes in sensation: Nerve damage can also affect the sense of touch, leading to numbness, tingling, or pain.
If you suspect neurogenic atrophy, it's important to consult a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis. They will typically perform a thorough neurological examination, assessing your muscle strength, reflexes, and sensory function. Further tests may be ordered, such as electromyography (EMG) to evaluate electrical activity in the muscles and nerves, nerve conduction studies to measure how well the nerves are working, and sometimes imaging scans to look for structural issues in the spine or brain.
Effective management of neurogenic atrophy focuses on treating the underlying cause, if possible, and minimizing the impact on muscle function and quality of life. Physical therapy plays a crucial role, helping to maintain or restore muscle strength, improve coordination, and prevent contractures (permanent shortening of muscles and tendons). In some cases, braces or splints may be recommended to support affected limbs. Additionally, maintaining proper nutrition is essential to provide the body with the fuel it needs to repair and rebuild muscle tissue.
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Physiologic atrophy
A proper nutrition plan is also crucial to regaining muscle mass. Adequate calories and protein intake can help prevent and treat physiologic atrophy. High-protein supplementation and branched-chain amino acids, especially leucine, can stimulate muscle synthesis and inhibit protein breakdown. β-Hydroxy β-methylbutyrate (HMB), a metabolite of leucine, has been shown to be effective in preserving lean muscle mass in older adults.
It is important to note that the time it takes to regain muscle mass after physiologic atrophy depends on the individual's age, fitness level, and the severity of the condition. While muscle mass can be rebuilt, it will not happen overnight, and full recovery may take a significant amount of time and effort. Consulting a healthcare provider is recommended to determine an appropriate treatment plan.
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Diet and muscle loss
Losing weight too quickly can cause the loss of muscle, in addition to fat. This can have repercussions on your fitness, strength and metabolism. One sign that you might be losing muscle is a strong ammonia odour in your sweat after a workout. This occurs when your body doesn't have enough carbohydrates or fat to burn for fuel, so it breaks down protein instead.
To prevent muscle loss, it's important to ensure that your diet and lifestyle changes are sustainable. You should also incorporate sufficient and appropriate exercise into your weight-loss plan. Both endurance and resistance-type exercises help to preserve muscle mass during weight loss, and resistance-type exercises also improve muscle strength.
Research shows that a diet higher in protein can help to prevent muscle loss when you're following a calorie-restricted diet. However, it's not just about eating foods with protein—meals should be balanced and include a source of protein, wholegrain carbs and healthy fats. For example, eggs on wholegrain toast with avocado. It's suggested that adults normally aim to consume 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day to maintain muscle mass. However, when exercising, you will likely need to consume 1.2-1.5g of protein per kilogram of body weight to preserve muscle during weight loss.
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Strength training
Losing muscle mass can be frustrating, especially when you're consistently working out. There are several reasons why you might be losing muscle mass, and some of them are outlined below, along with strategies to counter them.
Overtraining
Working out too hard and too often can lead to muscle loss. When you exercise, you break down muscle tissue, and without adequate recovery time, your body won't be able to repair and rebuild those muscles effectively. It's recommended to have only 2-3 intense workouts per week, with the remaining days dedicated to lighter exercises to facilitate recovery.
Inadequate Diet
A well-balanced diet is crucial for maintaining and building muscle mass. Ensure you're consuming enough calories and protein. The international recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein consumption is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. However, those aiming to optimise muscle growth and recovery may need to increase their protein intake. Additionally, consider tracking your macros and speaking with a nutritionist to fine-tune your diet.
Lack of Progressive Overload
If you're not progressively overloading your muscles by increasing weights or reps over time, your muscles won't be challenged enough to grow. Gradually increase the weight, reps, or intensity of your workouts to promote muscle growth.
Inadequate Sleep and Stress
Sleep is vital for muscle recovery. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Additionally, stress can mess with gains, so find ways to manage your stress levels effectively.
Age-Related Muscle Loss
As we age, muscle loss becomes a natural part of the ageing process. However, this can be mitigated through strength training, which helps older adults maintain and build muscle mass, improving their overall strength and independence.
Strategies for Strength Training
- Frequency and Intensity: Start with strength training 1-2 times a week on non-consecutive days. As you get stronger, gradually increase the frequency to 2-3 times a week and increase the weight or resistance.
- Progressive Overload: Focus on progressively overloading your muscles by increasing the weight, reps, or intensity over time. This challenges your muscles and promotes growth.
- Diet: Ensure you're consuming enough calories and protein. Consider tracking your macros and consulting a nutritionist to optimise your diet for muscle growth.
- Supplements: Consider taking supplements like caffeine and nitrate before exercising, as they may boost muscular strength and preserve muscle mass. Always consult a healthcare professional before taking any supplements.
- Recovery: Allow adequate recovery time between workouts. This doesn't mean remaining sedentary; try active recovery methods like cold water immersion.
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Signs of muscle loss
Muscle atrophy or muscle wasting is the loss of muscle mass. It can be caused by the disuse of muscles, neurogenic conditions, nutrition issues, age, genetics, low physical activity, and some medical conditions. The symptoms of muscle atrophy vary depending on the cause and severity of muscle loss. However, here are some common signs of muscle loss:
- Difficulty in performing daily activities: Sarcopenia, a type of muscle atrophy, can cause a decrease in stamina and make it difficult to perform daily activities. It can also lead to walking slowly, trouble climbing stairs, poor balance, and an increased risk of falls.
- Tingling or numbness in the limbs: If you have muscle atrophy in your limbs, you may experience tingling or numbness in your arms and legs due to muscle weakness.
- Speech and swallowing difficulties: When muscle atrophy affects the face or throat, the facial muscles may weaken, making it difficult to speak or swallow.
- Loss of muscle definition: As you lose muscle mass, you may notice a decrease in muscle definition and your clothes may start to feel looser.
- Struggling with workouts: If the workouts that you used to do easily are now becoming difficult or impossible, it may be a sign of muscle loss.
It is important to note that muscle loss is not typically expected during weight loss. However, rapid weight loss can result in a significant loss of muscle mass along with fat. Additionally, physical inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to muscle atrophy. Therefore, it is recommended to incorporate strength-building exercises and sufficient protein intake into your routine to maintain and grow your muscles.
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Frequently asked questions
If you are losing muscle, you may notice that your clothes, especially those that are tight-fitting, feel looser. You may also feel more tired and sluggish, and your body composition may not be changing, even if you are losing weight.
The number on the scale can be deceiving as it can't tell you if you're losing muscle or fat. To determine this, you can do a body composition test, which measures your body fat percentage, bone, water, and muscle in the body.
Muscle loss can be caused by a sedentary lifestyle, malnutrition, age, genetics, lack of physical activity, or certain medical conditions.
To prevent muscle loss, it is important to have a balanced diet and exercise regimen. Strength-building exercises, such as resistance training, push-ups, and pull-ups, can help prevent the loss of muscle mass.
If you think you are losing muscle, it is important to address the potential causes and make necessary changes to your lifestyle and diet. Consult with a healthcare professional to determine the best course of action for your specific situation.
