Luckily, the loss of muscle mass is mostly reversible. Numerous experts recommend resistance and weight training as the best ways to rebuild muscle. And in addition to building muscle mass, this type of exercise increases bone mass, which is another key to remaining mobile as you age.
According to the research of pro bodybuilder Jeff Nippard, the timeframe to get your muscle gains back is typically around half the time you took off. So, if you had a 2-month break from lifting, it might take just a month to get all of your gains back. Took six months off? You'll need three months to gain it all back.
Most beginners will see noticeable muscle growth within eight weeks, while more experienced lifters will see changes in three to four weeks. Most individuals gain one to two pounds of lean muscle per month with the right strength training and nutrition plan.
How long it takes to will depend on the amount of atrophy that occurred and your physical condition beforehand. It will take at least two weeks of physical therapy before you start to feel a difference in your muscles. It can take several months of physical therapy for muscle size and strength to be fully restored.
Great options include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, plain yogurt, and milk, as they can have acceptable amounts of fiber and be free of added sugars. Eat good fats such as omega-3 fatty acids: These good fats help prevent the breakdown of muscle by interfering with the inflammatory process.
“Believe it or not, it would probably be easy to rebuild it once your injury heals,” Matzkin says. If you were pretty fit before you were sidelined by injury or took some time off, once you're released to go back to activity you will regain that muscle mass faster than someone who never had it to begin with.
5 Pounds - It will take you about three months to build your first 5 pounds of muscle. That's not a long time at all, and will have a noticeable impact on your physique. 10 Pounds - After 7 months in the gym you will have built a approximately 10 total pounds of mass.
Vitamin D may be protective for muscle loss; a more alkalinogenic diet and diets higher in the anti-oxidant nutrients vitamin C and vitamin E may also prevent muscle loss.
The amount of time it takes to regain muscle after atrophy depends on the type of atrophy and how severe your condition was. Disuse (physiologic) atrophy is usually reversible, but it won't happen overnight. You can recover from muscle atrophy by exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet.
When muscle atrophy occurs it is most often from lack of activity for an extended period of time. As protein degradation exceeds protein resynthesis your muscles are shrinking and your metabolism is likely requiring less calories to support the muscle.
But men should also add loss of muscle mass to the list. Age-related muscle loss, called sarcopenia, is a natural part of aging. After age 30, you begin to lose as much as 3% to 5% per decade. Most men will lose about 30% of their muscle mass during their lifetimes.
“Research shows that, even into your late 80s, your body still has the potential to build muscle mass,” Stacy Schroder, director of wellness at Masonic Village at Elizabethtown, said.
Several nutrients, including creatine, vitamin D, and whey protein, have shown great promise in combating sarcopenia. Other nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, carnitine compounds, and the amino acid glutamine have biological effects that may be beneficial in promoting healthy muscle mass.
All of these recommendations fall within the range suggested by the American College of Sports Medicine that suggests 1.2 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight (0.54 to 0.9 grams/pound), which would translate to 81 to 136 grams for a 150-pound adult for preserving and building muscle.
Regular exercise and strength training is the first and most effective way to regain and maintain lost muscle mass. We recommend speaking to a fitness professional and your doctor to discuss which types of exercises may be best suited for your needs.
Repeated research has shown that, through weight training, men and women in their 60s and beyond can grow muscles as big and strong as an average 40-year-old.
Luckily, the loss of muscle mass is mostly reversible. Numerous experts recommend resistance and weight training as the best ways to rebuild muscle. And in addition to building muscle mass, this type of exercise increases bone mass, which is another key to remaining mobile as you age.
Further, there is evidence that massage can decrease muscle atrophy since massage of facial muscles lessens atrophy and increases the tone of masticatory muscles (Balogh, 1970), and massaged muscles in a denervated cat were heavier and stronger (Suskind et al. 1946).
An exercise program may help treat muscle atrophy. Exercises may include ones done in a swimming pool to reduce the muscle workload, and other types of rehabilitation. Your health care provider can tell you more about this. People who cannot actively move one or more joints can do exercises using braces or splints.