Home Remedies For Muscle Loss

Do you know that muscle loss can decrease the quality of life and life expectancy? But before looking at the actions that can help prevent sarcopenia, let us discuss what sarcopenia is. It means lack of flesh or muscle degeneration due to aging and is common in adults above 50 years. Loss in skeletal mass also limits the ability of a person to perform his daily activities. Muscle loss is from an imbalance between signals for anabolism and signals for catabolism. And this imbalance usually happens with increasing age. Muscle cramps, atrophy, and muscle pain are symptoms of muscle aches. 

What Is Muscle Atrophy?

Muscle atrophy is a condition that occurs when muscles waste away or are thin, or loss of muscle tissues occurs. This condition is a result of a lack of physical activity. For example, muscle wasting can happen when you are injured and cannot move any extremities, and there is a lack of mobility. But you can reverse this condition by exercise, a properly balanced diet, and physical therapies. Some of the causes of muscle atrophy are:

• Immobility Due To Injury
• Lack Of Physical Activity For Extended Periods
• Malnutrition
• Peripheral Nerve Or Spinal Cord Injury
• Burns
• Stroke
• Consumption Of Alcohol For Extended Periods
• Aging
• Long Term Corticosteroid Therapies
• Medical Conditions Such As Polio, Neuropathy, Osteoarthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Guillain Barre Syndrome

What Causes Muscle Weakness Or Muscle Loss?

Muscle weakness is due to aging, pregnancy, lack of exercise, or muscle injuries. Long-term medical conditions can also cause muscle weakness, including heart disease, diabetes, etc. Let us see in brief all these causes:

• Lack Of Activity:

  Lack of activity is the most common cause of muscle weakness due to a sedentary lifestyle. When you do not use your muscles for a long time, the muscle fibers get partially replaced by fats. And this, in turn, results in muscle wasting, and muscles will become more floppy and less chunky. You can reverse this condition by regular exercises. Take proper advice from a trainer or physiotherapist and work out according to the direction to prevent muscle injury.

• Chronic Diseases: 

  Many chronic diseases can cause muscle weakness, and in some conditions, it is because of the reduced blood supply and nutrient supply to the muscles. Peripheral artery disease, caused by narrowing the arteries because of cholesterol build-up, can cause muscle weakness. In this condition, the blood supply to the muscles slows, and more than muscle weakness, pain is more noticeable. Heart disease is also a chronic disease that can lead to muscle weakness by reducing blood supply during demand and muscle tiring in this process. Some other persistent diseases such as anemia, chronic lung disease, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes are also responsible for weakness, loss of fitness, and muscle wasting. 

• Aging:

   With the increase in age, muscles lose strength and become weaker. It can be a natural consequence of age, but this condition frustrates you as you cannot perform your daily activities like you used to do at a young age. Exercise is an excellent option to reverse this condition and increase muscle strength and power. But remember that as we age, a muscle injury takes a long time to recover, so it is better to perform exercise under the supervision of a trainer. 

• Pregnancy:

   During and after a few times of pregnancy, the level of steroids in the blood is high. And that is lack of iron or anemia, which can cause muscle tiredness, which is normal during pregnancy. To get relief from this condition, you can perform specific exercises, but when you are pregnant, you need to be very careful while performing any activity. 

• Infectious Conditions:

   Diseases or illnesses and infections are some of the most common causes of temporary muscle weakness. And it happens because of muscle inflammation, and although you can recover from this condition, the weakness can last a while. Some innocence that causes muscle inflammation and can cause muscle weakness are HIV, flu, hepatitis C, Lyme disease, etc.

Home Remedies To Reverse Muscle Loss

You can include certain fruits and foods in your diet and some oil that you will find at your home to apply on the affected part and get relief. Let us briefly discuss a few of those home remedies.

Rosemary Oil

This oil has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties to fight muscle spasms and aches. It is an essential oil that can help you to treat muscle weakness. You have to make a few drops of rosemary oil with any carrier oil such as olive or coconut oil and apply this mixture to the affected muscles. After leaving it for 25 to 35 minutes, you can wash it off. Do this once every day, and you will witness a reduction in inflammation and pain.

Black Seed Oil 

Black seed oil helps to treat various health illnesses, including muscle weakness. It has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and healing properties that help treat muscle soreness and weakness. You need to massage the affected muscles with black seed oil daily to witness better results.

Eucalyptus Oil 

Eucalyptus oil has many beneficial qualities and anti-inflammatory properties that help fight muscle pain and weakness. To reduce the symptoms of muscle weakness, mix eucalyptus oil with any carrier oil and apply it to the affected muscles twice a day. 

Eggs

Eggs contain enough energy and nutrition for the body’s proper functioning. It has all the essential elements required for the healthy functioning of muscles. So if you consume one or two eggs daily, you can fight muscle weakness.

Yogurt

Yogurt contains calcium, potassium, and other essential nutrients that provide energy to the body and muscles. So consumption of one cup of plain yogurt daily can provide you with energy to combat muscle weakness.

Banana

Eating a banana can help you provide instant energy to your body and fight muscle weakness. Bananas are rich in carbohydrates and potassium and can improve metabolic recovery and reduce inflammation and muscle aches. 

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has anti-inflammatory properties and is rich in calcium, potassium, and B vitamins. Potassium deficiency can cause muscle weakness; therefore, intake of apple cider vinegar can help you strengthen the muscles because it is rich in potassium and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Vitamins And Minerals

Intake of an ample amount of vitamins and minerals in your diet can help you treat muscle weakness. Minerals have a vital role in improving muscle strength and muscle functioning. If you lack specific vitamins, you can have muscle weakness. Therefore proper intake of minerals and vitamins and a balanced diet is vital to combat muscle weakness. 

Prevention Tips For Muscle Loss

1. Perform mild exercises regularly and under supervision.
2. Adopt an active lifestyle and include walking and running in your routine life.
3. Eat a well-balanced and nutritious diet.
4. Do not stress yourself because sometimes mental conditions can affect muscles and cause muscle weakness. And perform yoga and meditation and reach out for counseling if required.
5. Keep your muscles active, and to recover them faster, perform massage with essential oils.
6. Consume more nuts, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables.

Conclusion

Though muscle weakness is a natural consequence of aging, specific remedies can help reverse or fight this condition. Proper workouts under the supervision of a trainee or physical therapies by a physiotherapist can help you ease the symptoms of muscle loss and make yourself fit and energetic.