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Cancer can cause muscle loss, which can be due to the disease itself or as a side effect of treatment. This is known as muscle cachexia, which is defined as a multifactorial syndrome driving skeletal muscle wasting, with or without loss of fat mass, that cannot be fully reversed by conventional nutritional support and leads to progressive functional impairment. Muscle loss can also be caused by the side effects of cancer treatment, such as nausea, vomiting, fatigue and pain, which may impede your normal ability to maintain lean muscles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle loss | Cancer and cancer treatments can eat away at the body's musculature |
| Muscle cachexia | A multifactorial syndrome driving skeletal muscle wasting, with or without loss of fat mass, that cannot be fully reversed by conventional nutritional support and leads to progressive functional impairment |
| Muscle protein synthesis | Conventional nutritional supplementation is ineffective in stimulating muscle protein synthesis in cancer patients |
| Treatment | A specially formulated nutritional supplement can overcome anabolic resistance |
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What You'll Learn
Cancer can eat away at the body's musculature
Muscle cachexia is the hidden killer of cancer, with roughly one out of three patients succumbing to the end-organ results of muscle weakness before their primary disease has run its course. The term cachexia refers to a complex metabolic syndrome characterised by loss of muscle, with muscle wasting occurring more rapidly than would be expected due to decreased food intake alone.
In cancer patients, conventional nutritional supplementation is ineffective in stimulating muscle protein synthesis. However, a specially formulated nutritional supplement high in leucine and protein can stimulate muscle protein synthesis acutely in individuals with cancer. A diet rich in plant-derived proteins may also support muscle anabolism in cancer, although a larger quantity of protein is required to fulfil the optimal amino acid intake.
Exercise may counter some of the muscle loss caused by cancer and lessen the intensity of treatment side effects. Increased physical activity can reduce treatment-related toxicity by enhancing blood flow, blood sugar regulation, and the release of endorphins.
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Muscle cachexia is a hidden killer of cancer
Cachexia is defined as a complex metabolic syndrome characterised by muscle loss. It is a crucial characteristic of cachexia that muscle wasting is more rapid than would be expected to occur due to decreased food intake alone. However, anorexia is often one of several responses leading to cachexia. In cancer patients, conventional nutritional supplementation is ineffective in stimulating muscle protein synthesis. This anabolic resistance can be overcome with a specially formulated nutritional supplement.
Maintenance of muscle mass is crucial to improving the outcome and quality of life in cancer patients. Stimulating muscle protein synthesis is the metabolic basis for maintaining muscle mass, but in cancer patients, normal dietary intake has minimal effects on muscle protein synthesis. A diet rich in plant-derived proteins may support muscle anabolism in cancer, but it requires a larger quantity of protein to fulfil the optimal amino acid intake.
Some cancers and cancer treatments eat away at the body's musculature and may prevent the body from building muscle mass. This cannot be reversed simply by exercising more. However, exercise may counter some of the muscle loss and lessen the intensity of treatment side effects.
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Cancer patients can experience muscle loss due to the disease itself
In cancer patients, conventional nutritional supplementation is ineffective in stimulating muscle protein synthesis. This anabolic resistance can be overcome with a specially formulated nutritional supplement. A diet rich in plant-derived proteins may support muscle anabolism in cancer, but it requires a larger quantity of protein to fulfil the optimal amino acid intake.
The maintenance of muscle mass is crucial to improving the outcome and quality of life in cancer patients. Stimulating muscle protein synthesis is the metabolic basis for maintaining muscle mass, but in cancer patients, normal dietary intake has minimal effects on muscle protein synthesis.
Exercise may counter some of the muscle loss and lessen the intensity of treatment side effects. Increased physical activity can reduce treatment-related toxicity by enhancing blood flow, blood sugar regulation, and the release of endorphins.
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Exercise may counter muscle loss
Cancer and its treatments can eat away at the body's musculature and may prevent the body from building muscle mass. This is called muscle cachexia, which is a multifactorial syndrome driving skeletal muscle wasting, with or without loss of fat mass, that cannot be fully reversed by conventional nutritional support. However, exercise may counter some of this muscle loss and lessen the intensity of treatment side effects.
Mirela Holtz, a Board-Certified Specialist in Oncologic Physical Therapy, says that "increased physical activity can reduce treatment-related toxicity by enhancing blood flow, blood sugar regulation, release of endorphins, etc. Physical activity has been shown to [have] systemic anti-inflammatory effects in the body, while conventional cancer care causes inflammation in the body".
While exercise may not be able to fully reverse muscle loss caused by cancer, it can help to mitigate it and improve the quality of life for cancer patients. Additionally, a diet rich in plant-derived proteins may support muscle anabolism in cancer patients, although a larger quantity of protein is required to fulfil the optimal amino acid intake.
Specially formulated medical foods high in leucine and protein have also been shown to stimulate muscle protein synthesis in cancer patients, which is crucial to improving outcomes and quality of life.
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A diet rich in plant-derived proteins may support muscle anabolism in cancer patients
Cancer can eat away at the body's musculature, causing muscle loss and weakness. This can be due to the disease itself or as a side effect of treatment. Exercise may help to counter muscle loss, but it cannot reverse the effects of muscle wasting caused by cancer.
Muscle cachexia, a multifactorial syndrome driving skeletal muscle wasting, is a major downstream consequence of several cancer types. It cannot be fully reversed by conventional nutritional support and leads to progressive functional impairment.
To maintain muscle mass, stimulating muscle protein synthesis is crucial. However, in cancer patients, normal dietary intake has minimal effects on muscle protein synthesis. A specially formulated medical food, high in leucine and protein, can stimulate muscle protein synthesis in cancer patients.
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Frequently asked questions
Muscle cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome driving skeletal muscle wasting, with or without loss of fat mass, that cannot be fully reversed by conventional nutritional support and leads to progressive functional impairment.
Cancer is often associated with a constellation of responses which together lead to cachexia. The muscle wasting is more rapid than would be expected to occur due to decreased food intake alone, although anorexia is often one of several responses leading to cachexia.
A specially formulated nutritional supplement can overcome anabolic resistance and stimulate muscle protein synthesis. A diet rich in plant-derived proteins may also support muscle anabolism in cancer, but a larger quantity of protein is required to fulfil the optimal amino acid intake.
Muscle cachexia is the hidden killer of cancer, with roughly one out of three patients succumbing to the end-organ results of muscle weakness before their primary disease has run its course.
Exercise may counter some of the muscle loss and lessen the intensity of treatment side effects. However, some cancers and cancer treatments eat away at the body's musculature and may prevent your body from building muscle mass—something that can't be reversed simply by exercising more.
