# Anthropine **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 11, 2000, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthropine/8459 "2000-03-11T17:18:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f17d59/32.png) [@kaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaos)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthropine/8459/1 "2000-03-11T17:18:00Z")
ok, i am not even sure if this is how you speel it, but what exactly is Anthropine, that condition that happens to your muscles when you don’t use them very often? Or not at all? What exactly happens? Do the muscles begin deteriorating themselves? r is ther a major build up of Lactic acid, or what? ---
**Author:** ![Beauxeau\_IX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71c47a/32.png) [@Beauxeau\_IX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauxeau_IX)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthropine/8459/2 "2000-03-11T17:27:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by kaos: > **ok, i am not even sure if this is how you speel it, but what exactly is Anthropine, that condition that happens to your muscles when you don’t use them very often? Or not at all? What exactly happens? Do the muscles begin deteriorating themselves? r is ther a major build up of Lactic acid, or what?** No offense, **kaos** , but when you misspell “spell” you’re off to a bad start. 😉 And I believe the word you were trying to spell is _atrophy_. * * * Mmm, sure…listen… Do you think I could interest you in a pair of zircon-encrusted tweezers? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthropine/8459/3 "2000-03-11T23:17:00Z")
Here is the Encyclopædia Britannica’s take on the subject: [Atrophy of muscle or of muscle and bone.](http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/0/0,5716,11280+3,00.html) If the link doesn’t work, go to [http://www.britannica.com/](http://www.britannica.com/) , look up “atrophy,” scroll down to the index that is listed below the article, and click on “Atrophy of muscle or of muscle and bone.” * * * Tom~ ---
**Author:** ![kaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f17d59/32.png) [@kaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaos)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2000, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthropine/8459/4 "2000-03-12T01:18:00Z")
Thanks tom! I understand now. I was just wondering because I saw it on the Matrix last night when I watched it for the 14th time! he he he Thanks again! Quick question, how do you quote people? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2000, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthropine/8459/5 "2000-03-12T02:05:00Z")
In your reply, type \\code:\\\ > [@](#): > > before and after the quoted portion. ```auto See that little link that says "*UBB CODE is ON" on the reply page? It explains such things. ``` ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2000, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthropine/8459/6 "2000-03-12T02:06:00Z")
AARGGH! it didn’t work! OK, read the UBB page. yeesh! ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2000, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthropine/8459/7 "2000-03-12T04:04:00Z")
Another place that discusses quotes is at: [http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000818.html](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000818.html) There is some discussion and are links to other discussions. ---
**Author:** ![kaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f17d59/32.png) [@kaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaos)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2000, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthropine/8459/8 "2000-03-12T06:00:00Z")
well, thanks everyone, I’ll try and get the quotes thingy to work. How do you usually get atrophy? ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2000, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthropine/8459/9 "2000-03-12T07:35:00Z")
Atrophy is loss of tissue, most often muscle tissue, from inadequate levels of function. Muscle tissue atrophies when you do not exercise. Medically this occurs when you are forced to remain in bed from illness, or as a result of a loss of motor ability after a trauma. The way to reverse atrophy is to engage in more activity, either voluntary exercise, or passive range of motion. The former is far more efficacious. Why it occurs is rather complex. The simplest answer is “Use it or loose it.” The body is frugal. Whatever level of use is habitual, for a muscle, or gland, or organ, that level of functionality and a small margin over that are all that the body maintains. Resources are used elsewhere, and the tissue in question dies, one cell at a time. Normal use stimulates the natural replacement processes. When use is great enough to encourage growth faster than the normal processes of cell death, tissue mass increases. The how and what of those processes is the complicated part. **Tris** * * * Imagine my signature begins five spaces to the right of center. ---
**Author:** ![kaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f17d59/32.png) [@kaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaos)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2000, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthropine/8459/10 "2000-03-12T17:43:00Z")
ok, so use it or lose it right? I gotcha now, what about pain? Would it hurt, or you wouldn’t feel anything until you realize you can’t move? THe only way I dould think of it hurting is that if the nerve cells died in the muscles, but that shouldn’t hurt anyways right?