I know malnutrition can cause it but so can other things. I thougt it was like an auto immune situation but I don;t understand it. Also, why does it show up in blood work.
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It’s just a case of ‘use it or lose it’. The body adapts to the stresses upon it (or tries to), and maintains a level of muscle mass according to activity level/type and diet. Astronauts lose muscle and bone mass in space due to lack of straining against gravity. Bedridden people lose it too from lack of activity. Muscle can usually be gained back quickly with the activity and diet to support it.
There are also various diseases that have the effect of muscle wasting, for reasons like gradually losing the ability to control the muscles so they waste away, or being unable to make muscle protein. Many anabolic steroids were originally designed to help grow or maintain muscle in these and bedridden patients.
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