Body cell mass (BCM) refers to the total weight of all cellular components in the body, encompassing all the metabolically active tissues. A reduction in BCM is a common indicator of chronic illnesses, such as terminal cancer. BCM includes muscle and organ tissues, intracellular and extracellular water, and bone tissue. Typically, in a well-nourished person, muscle tissue constitutes about 60% of the BCM, organ tissue makes up 20%, and the remaining 20% consists of red and tissue cells. Furthermore, BCM contains a significant majority (98-99%) of the body's potassium. The most effective way to evaluate BCM reduction is through bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), which can be conveniently conducted in an office setting with portable equipment. This method is cost-effective, non-invasive, painless, and highly accurate. BIA results are integrated with other data, such as height, weight, gender, and age, to determine BCM, fat-free mass, and additional body composition metrics.
