Decreased muscle mass

What is decreased muscle mass?

Muscle mass naturally decreases as we age, a condition called sarcopenia. This progressive loss of muscle tissue starts around age 30-40 and accelerates after age 60.

Some key points about decreased muscle mass:

• It's a common effect of aging that impacts strength, mobility, and metabolism


• Contributing factors include hormonal changes, decreased physical activity, illnesses, and poor nutrition


• Lost muscle mass is often replaced by fat tissue over time


• Resistance training and adequate protein intake can help mitigate age-related muscle loss

Who is most impacted?

Those over 60 years old tend to experience the most noticeable muscle loss over time. However, subtle decreases in lean muscle mass start in our 30s and 40s. Post-menopausal women also see accelerated reductions due to plunging estrogen levels.

What are the consequences?

• Reduced strength for daily activities


• Impaired balance and mobility


• Lower resting metabolism making weight gain likely


• Greater frailty and fall risk leading to fractures


• Loss of independence and worsened quality of life

What can be done about decreased muscle mass?

While some muscle loss is inevitable with biological aging, much can be prevented through lifestyle interventions:

• Resistance training using bodyweight, bands, weights to stimulate muscle growth


• Getting sufficient dietary protein at each meal (0.5-1g per kg bodyweight daily)


• Doing balance exercises and challenging mobility moves like squats/lunges


• Optimizing key hormones like testosterone (men) and estrogen (women)


• Consuming enough calories to prevent lean tissue breakdown

If concerned about declining muscle mass, consider contacting Hormone Harmony. Our clinicians specialize in customized hormone balancing programs to help both men and women preserve their strength, fitness and vitality long into their golden years! Let us help you defy aging and make the most of mature adulthood.