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Muscle atrophy is the wasting or loss of muscle tissue, resulting in decreased size and strength. The speed at which this occurs depends on your current fitness level and the amount of time you are inactive. If you are a frequent exerciser, you can expect to lose muscle mass after about three weeks of inactivity. However, if you suddenly go on a calorie-deficient diet, you can lose muscle mass as quickly as one to two weeks.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How soon before muscle loss | 1-3 weeks |
| Factors affecting muscle loss | Current fitness level, amount of time inactive, muscle mass |
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What You'll Learn
Muscle atrophy
The speed at which muscle atrophy occurs depends on your current fitness level and the amount of time you are inactive. If you are a disciplined, three- to five-day-a-week exerciser who has to reduce your activity to walks, housework, and the like for an extended period, studies have found you can probably get away with about a three-week break before you start to lose strength and muscle mass. However, some research suggests that you can start to lose muscle in as quickly as one week of inactivity.
The more muscle mass you have, the harder it is to maintain with inactivity and the more you'll potentially lose. Fit individuals are likely to lose muscle mass more quickly than unfit individuals.
If you suddenly go on a calorie-deficient diet, you can lose muscle mass as quickly as one to two weeks.
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Calorie-deficient diets
If you suddenly go on a calorie-deficient diet, you can lose muscle mass as quickly as one to two weeks. This is because the body begins to use muscle as an energy source.
However, the speed of muscle loss depends on your current fitness level and the amount of time you are inactive. The more muscle mass you have, the harder it is to maintain with inactivity and the more you'll potentially lose. Fit individuals are likely to lose muscle mass more quickly than unfit individuals. Some research suggests that you can start to lose muscle in as quickly as one week of inactivity.
If you are a disciplined, three- to five-day-a-week exerciser who has to reduce your activity to walks, housework, and the like for an extended period, studies have found you can probably get away with about a three-week break before you start to lose strength and muscle mass. Athletes can start to lose their muscle strength in about three weeks if they’re not working out, according to a 2013 study.
If you stop training and muscle atrophy occurs, it is entirely possible to regain what you’ve lost. And thanks to muscle memory, it can happen faster than it took to gain that muscle the first time around.
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Loss of muscle tissue
Muscle atrophy is the physical wasting or loss of muscle tissue resulting in decreased size and muscular strength.
How quickly muscle atrophy takes place depends on your current fitness level and the amount of time you were inactive. If you are still able to move around, true muscle loss can occur after about three weeks of skipping your workouts. However, some research suggests that you can start to lose muscle in as quickly as one week of inactivity.
If you suddenly go on a calorie-deficient diet, you can lose muscle mass as quickly as one to two weeks. This is because the body begins to use muscle as an energy source.
The more muscle mass you have, the harder it is to maintain with inactivity and the more you'll potentially lose. Fit individuals are likely to lose muscle mass more quickly than unfit individuals.
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Loss of muscle strength
The rate at which muscle atrophy occurs depends on your current fitness level and the amount of time you are inactive. Fit individuals are likely to lose muscle mass more quickly than unfit individuals. This is because the more muscle mass you have, the harder it is to maintain with inactivity, and the more you'll potentially lose.
If you suddenly go on a calorie-deficient diet, you can lose muscle mass as quickly as one to two weeks. This is because the body begins to use muscle as an energy source when calories are severely restricted.
It's important to note that muscle atrophy is reversible. If you stop training and muscle atrophy occurs, it is entirely possible to regain what you've lost. Thanks to muscle memory, it can happen faster than it took to gain that muscle the first time around.
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Loss of muscle size
If you are a disciplined exerciser who has to reduce your activity, studies have found that you can get away with about a three-week break before you start to lose strength and muscle mass. However, some research suggests that you can start to lose muscle in as quickly as one week of inactivity. If you suddenly go on a calorie-deficient diet, you can lose muscle mass as quickly as one to two weeks.
The more muscle mass you have, the harder it is to maintain with inactivity and the more you'll potentially lose. Fit individuals are likely to lose muscle mass more quickly than unfit individuals.
If you stop training and muscle atrophy occurs, it is entirely possible to regain what you’ve lost. Thanks to muscle memory, it can happen faster than it took to gain that muscle the first time around.
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Frequently asked questions
It depends on your current fitness level and the amount of time you're inactive. If you're a disciplined, three- to five-day-a-week exerciser, you can probably get away with about a three-week break before you start to lose strength and muscle mass. However, some research suggests that you can start to lose muscle in as quickly as one week of inactivity.
You can tell if you're losing muscle through body composition testing. Outside of this, pay attention to your strength, physical measurements, and body weight to help indicate any muscle loss.
Yes, avoid severely cutting back on calories as the body begins to use muscle as an energy source.
