Accurately measuring muscle mass is challenging since it depends on a number of variables. Research does offer some insight, despite the paucity of data.
Body fat and lean body mass are the two halves of your total body mass. Although the phrases “muscle mass” and “lean body mass” are sometimes used interchangeably, they are not the same. In addition to muscle mass, lean body mass also contains skin, bone, water, and organ mass.
The weight and dimensions of your body’s smooth muscle tissue are referred to as muscle mass. It consists of cardiac, smooth, and skeletal muscles (Trusted Source).
Skeletal muscle is usually referred to when discussing muscle mass. Skeletal muscles aid in regulating posture and movement. It is essential for strength, balance, and mobility, and as you age, preserving muscle mass becomes even more crucial.
Skeletal muscles aid in regulating posture and movement.
It is essential for strength, balance, and mobility, and as you age, preserving muscle mass becomes even more crucial.
To find out more about average muscle mass, ideal muscle mass, and muscular building, continue reading.
Chart of muscle mass %
Because muscle mass varies on a variety of factors, such as height, diet, ethnicity, and level of exercise, it is challenging to assess on its own. As of right now, there are no accepted standards for an individual’s ideal muscle mass. Skeletal mass, however, typically accounts for 40% of your total body weight.
In a study conducted in 2000, 468 adults of various ages had their muscle mass percentages measured.
This study served as the basis for the charts that follow.
This statistics will give you an indication of the percentages of muscle mass for various age groups, but more research is needed.
Muscle mass percentage averages for men
Years of age 18 to 35 percent muscle mass, 40 percent to 44 percent 36–55 36% to 40% 56–75 Between 32 and 35 percent 76–85 less than 31 percent
Average percentages of muscle mass in women
Years of age 31% to 33% of muscle mass in people aged 18 to 35 36–55 Between 29% and 31% 56–75 Between 27 and 30 percent 76–85 less than 26 percent
How to calculate the percentage of muscle mass
Without costly technology, it is impossible to calculate your precise muscle mass %. Among the potential measurement instruments are:
- MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging.
- Ultrasound bioimpedance analysis,
- computed tomography (CT), and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) Dilution of D3-creatinine
A review published in 2020 claims that imaging tests are the “gold standard” for determining muscle mass.
It’s crucial to remember, nevertheless, that when evaluating the same individual, different measuring instruments may yield different findings.
A 2023 study comparing the discrepancies between MRI and D-creatinine dilution revealed that the former’s results ranged from 13.47 kg greater than MRI to 0.62 kg lower.
Can muscle mass be measured in any other way?
Medical experts typically use body composition measurements to calculate your muscle mass.
The percentage of muscle, fat, bone, and water in your body is measured by your body composition.
You can evaluate your body composition at home, in a gym, or in a clinical setting using a variety of measurement instruments, formulae, scales, and calculators. Among these could be:
- hydrostatic weighing body fat scales waist and hip measurements Online calculators for skin calipers
These instruments may offer you an estimate of your skeletal mass in relation to your fat, water, and bone mass, but they are not as precise as medical evaluations.
Consult a medical expert if you wish to determine your muscle mass.
They could suggest several measuring instruments that are within your price range.
