Whether you’re lifting weights every day, going for light walks or just looking to trim your waistline, you’re going to require additional proteins to keep you healthy. This is especially important if you’re over 50.
This might be surprising news, but recent studies have shown that one of the most effective ways to stay youthful and avoid fat gain is to get enough protein daily. The correct intake amount is closer to two times the U.S. recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 0.8 g/kg of body weight a day.
Calculate your protein goal and hit it daily
Research shows us that the more protein people eat, the higher the rate of muscle protein synthesis. This fact alone is so important because the body is constantly in a fluctuating state of muscle loss and gain. Any time you replenish the pool of amino acid building blocks that the body uses to synthesise muscle, it causes a positive environment for muscle development.
The right amount to eat is between 25-30 grams in one meal, which will maximally stimulate protein synthesis in older adults. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure that you’re eating this much at each meal and reaching your protein intake goal daily.
Another positive effect of having high-protein meals, especially breakfast, is to reduce hunger and manage blood sugar better for easier control over cravings and metabolism. This is key since aging is associated with blood sugar problems and insulin resistance, thus anything you can do to counter this debilitating effect is worthwhile.
Stay lean: understanding why protein synthesis matters
Some people may wonder if muscle really matters, and might be concerned about looking “too big” but at the same time want to lose weight and be healthy.
Optimal health for older people primarily depends on maintaining muscle mass, which requires greater than the minimal amount of protein. Once over the age of 50, the body naturally loses muscle mass and bone density due to anabolic resistance. This means that older people experience changes in digestion so that their bodies absorb fewer amino acids.
As we get older we also start to move less and don't lift as many heavy things, which means that our muscles and bones experience less physical stimulus to grow and stay strong. In as little as two weeks, people who decrease their daily physical activity have been shown to have lower leg muscle mass and experience a reduced muscle building response to a high-protein meal.
Age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) has shown that inactive people who eat the RDA of protein can lose as much as 5 percent of muscle mass per decade after age 30. This has an incredibly negative effect on resting metabolic rate, which when reduced, leads to fat gain over time.
The greatest loss of muscle mass comes from fast-twitch muscle fibers in the lower body, which is your centre for power, balance, and strength.
Muscle and bone are inextricably linked: decreasing muscle strength leads to a weak, vulnerable skeletal system; a reason bone fractures are common in the elderly.
