Myosteatosis
Myosteatosis is the buildup of fat inside muscle tissue, making muscles look bigger but weaker and less responsive to insulin.
Plain English
Patient-Friendly Explanation
Myosteatosis is the buildup of fat inside skeletal muscle tissue. It makes muscles appear larger on scans but functionally weaker and less responsive to insulin. It commonly develops with age, obesity and inactivity, and can be improved with weight loss and resistance training.
Medical
Clinical Definition
Myosteatosis refers to ectopic lipid accumulation within skeletal muscle (intramyocellular lipid) and between muscle fibres (intermuscular adipose tissue). It is detected on CT or MRI as low muscle attenuation, or quantified via magnetic resonance spectroscopy and biopsy. It is associated with insulin resistance, reduced muscle strength and mobility, and higher cardiometabolic risk independent of total body fat.
Key Insight
Why It Matters
Muscle fat is a hidden form of body fat that a bathroom scale cannot detect. Our body composition assessment can identify it, and weight loss combined with resistance training is one of the few interventions proven to reduce it.
Sources
Reviewed against standard medical references.
Medically reviewed by
Family Physician & Registered Acupuncturist, Accord Medical Clinic. MBBS (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Acupuncture (Singapore College of TCM).
Last reviewed: September 2026
This page is general health education, not medical advice. Whether any treatment is appropriate for you is a decision made in consultation after assessment.
