Unexplained loss of muscle mass, also known as cachexia, is a concerning condition that can have many potential causes. This troubling symptom warrants medical evaluation to uncover the root issue and guide appropriate treatment.
Some potential causes of cachexia include:
- Chronic diseases: Conditions like cancer, COPD, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease can spur cachexia. The ongoing inflammation and metabolic dysfunction of chronic illness can accelerate muscle breakdown. Treating the underlying disease may help reverse cachexia.
- Inadequate nutrition: Consuming too few calories, deficient protein intake, or malabsorption of nutrients can lead to muscle wasting. Ensuring adequate nutrient-dense calories and high-quality proteins through diet or supplements can help rebuild muscle.
- Sedentary lifestyle: Disuse and inactivity promotes loss of muscle mass. Engaging in regular resistance training and achieving daily movement helps maintain muscles. Physical therapy may help those with disabilities or injuries become more active.
- Medications: Certain prescription drugs like steroids, chemotherapy, and some antivirals can instigate cachexia. Doctors may adjust medications or doses to alleviate side effects.
- Low testosterone: Deficient levels of anabolic hormones like testosterone and growth hormone reduces muscle synthesis. Hormone testing and supplementation through reputable clinics like Vitality Hormone Clinic may help overcome deficiencies.
- Chronic inflammation: Ongoing systemic inflammation degrades muscle. Identifying and addressing sources of inflammation through diet, lifestyle changes, or medications may mitigate cachexia.
Diagnostic tests like bloodwork, imaging, and biopsies help reveal underlying disorders leading to muscle loss. Treatment varies based on the cause but may include nutrition support, exercise, hormone therapies, supplements, medications, and addressing the primary illness. Most importantly,
seek medical advice quickly when experiencing sudden unexplained muscle loss to discover the reason and restore your strength and mobility. Don't hesitate to consult endocrinologists specializing in metabolic disorders and cachexia at clinics like Vitality Hormone Clinic.