Final answer:
Atrophy refers to the wasting away of muscle, often due to diseases, aging, or disuse. While exercise can offset some effects, age-related atrophy, or sarcopenia, is typically irreversible and leads to a decline in muscle strength and physical performance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Atrophy is the process of wasting away of muscle, where there is a decrease in muscle mass. This condition can be caused by various factors, including diseases such as cancer and AIDS that can lead to a body wasting syndrome called cachexia, as well as other conditions, like congestive heart disease and liver diseases. Atrophy is especially pronounced in individuals who are sedentary, leading to a range of functional impairments. Sarcopenia is another form of atrophy that occurs as people age, resulting in a gradual loss of skeletal muscle mass. Although sometimes reversible with exercise, muscle atrophy from aging is typically irreversible and leads to a decline in physical performance and strength.
Atrophy also results in decreased mobility and stability, causing a decrease in quality of life and leading to medical issues such as joint problems. Increased exercise can mitigate some atrophy effects by adding structural proteins to muscles, increasing cellular mitochondria, improving capillary density, and bolstering the mass and strength of connective tissues. Nonetheless, sarcopenia's impacts are generally more challenging to counteract.