Protein Supplements, Important for Aging Populous

Category: Aging , Diet and Nutrition

As we are well aware, muscle mass tends to decline as we age. There have been several theories as to why this occurs and some disagreement in the research community about possible mechanisms. Previous work has shown that there was no difference in muscle protein synthesis when an elderly group of individuals were given a certain level of essential amino acids (the required building blocks for building proteins in the body) as compared with a young group. However, in a recent article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005;82(5):1065-1073), a smaller amount of amino acid consumption did display reduced muscle protein synthesis in the elderly.

What is the significance of this finding? Well, knowing that this reduced responsiveness in the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis exists in the elderly, specific protein supplements can be tailored to meet the needs of the aging population. The authors state, "Such findings could be extended to address a per-meal protein intake for maximizing muscle protein synthesis in the elderly. The per-meal protein intake may be more important than the total per-day protein intake if total daily protein intake is spread out over several meals."

By consuming the right amounts of protein at each meal, muscle protein synthesis could be stimulated, offsetting the reduction in lean body mass that occurs with aging. This reduction in lean body mass is associated with increased risk of various diseases including metabolic syndrome, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as problems with balance which can lead to fractures.

Posted by Kristopher Foster on August 20, 2013 11:00 AM