Muscle is the most abundant tissue in human body, and it can be atrophy when synthesis is inferior to degradation. Muscle atrophy is prevalent as it is a complication of many diseases. Besides its devastating effects on health, it also decreases life quality and increases mortality as well. This review provides an overview of muscle atrophy, including its prevalence, economic and health burden, and clinical therapy. Its clinical therapy includes exercise training, nutritional therapy, electrical stimulation, and drugs such as testosterone and ghrelin/IGF-1 analogues. More large-scale, long-term clinical trials are needed for therapies for muscle atrophy. In addition, more therapeutic targets are highly needed.
Keywords: Muscle atrophy; Overview.