Why Older Adults Need the Anti-ageing benefit of Protein
Anti-ageing benefits of protein. Our muscle health declines naturally, starting in about our thirties, in a process known as sarcopenia. By the age of fifty, muscle mass decreases at an annual rate of 1-2%. The lost muscle is often replaced by fat.
Added to this natural ageing process, we often become less active than we were in our 20s, more prone to injury, and often eat a sub-par diet. This can create the perfect storm, leading to weight gain in middle age and beyond.
The danger of dieting without eating more protein
Anti-ageing benefits of protein. Many people struggle with gaining unwanted weight in midlife. Doctors hear it every day in their practice. Also, patients say they are eating the same as they ever have and exercising the same amount, but putting on weight.
There are two fundamental principles to maintaining and even building muscle at any age: doing resistance exercises and eating a higher-protein diet. But the problem with the way many of us have traditionally dieted – and what a lot of middle-aged women do especially – is eating fewer and fewer calories, but not enough protein.
The result is that their muscle continues to waste away, their metabolism slows and, as a result, losing weight becomes even harder. The old message that if you want to lose weight, you simply have to eat less and move more is outdated.
Dieting to lose weight
Anti-ageing benefits of protein. If you’re actively trying to lose weight, then yes, you need to be in a calorie deficit. But as you cut your calories, you must also up the percentage of protein in your overall intake to protect muscle mass. We are facing an obesity epidemic – but I believe that current medical advice is failing people and So then, Dr Lyon is on a mission to change that. She has seen up close how people with obesity struggle to lose weight, despite following the outdated advice of just cutting calories, and doing more cardio but not paying attention to the amount of protein on the plate. Consequently, we’re finding, that increasing protein is the solution – it helps you to feel full in the short term while improving your body composition in the longer term.
Why we need more protein in midlife and beyond
Anti-ageing benefits of protein. There are so many benefits of a protein-rich diet, including better-balanced blood sugar, increased energy, mental clarity, decreased body fat, and reduced cravings. It is crucial for longevity and repairing your body’s tissues.
But most midlife women are not eating enough. So then, some would argue that many people of all ages are not eating enough good-quality protein. As an example, in the UK, the Government guideline for adults is 0.75g of protein per kilo of body weight (or if you work in pounds, around 1g per 3 pounds of body weight). But these guidelines – as in the US – were created in the 1970s as a minimum level to prevent deficiencies; it’s not optimal by any stretch of the imagination.
How much protein do you need?
Anti-ageing benefits of protein. The prescription for all adults is at least 1g per 1lb of your ideal body weight per day. However, if you work in kilos, about 2.2g per 1kg of ideal body weight).
Therefore, if you’re trying to lose weight and are on a reduced calorie diet, I suggest up to 1g per 1lb of ideal body weight, or even higher. On top of this, I recommend that the first and last meal of the day should contain at least 30g of protein. Because, there is increasing evidence to show that if you eat 30-50g of protein for breakfast, it sets up your metabolism appropriately, controls hunger, and stimulates muscle tissue.
So then, to visualize 30g of protein, this equates to a large chicken breast or fish fillet, or a medium-sized steak or chop, but many more eggs than you might imagine – around five or six. If you’re stuck for inspiration, Here Dr Gabrielle Lyon can get you a free newsletter with recipes containing 30g of protein each week. These are things that she eats with her family, such as egg and cheese frittatas and air-fried salmon bites.
Steak is better than vegan burgers
Anti-ageing benefits of protein. I personally eat a lot of red meat – I even have steak for breakfast some days. Red meat has had a bad rap, but a good-quality steak is so much better for your body than ultra-processed plant-based foods like meat-free burgers. Especially, good-quality meat – by which I mean grass-fed and organic. In this case, should be considered a superfood because it delivers so many of the nutrients we need, including iron, zinc, calcium, and vitamin B12. However, it’s also a natural source of creatine, which may improve short-term memory. Furthermore, there have been some reports saying a high-protein diet can lead to kidney dysfunction but several studies now tell us otherwise.
Muscle is the fountain of youth
Above all, muscle should be seen as your body’s armour, protecting you from disease. There are multiple reasons why we develop Alzheimer’s, for example. But new research published in the British Medical Journal has found that if we build up our lean muscle mass it may help prevent it. However, it is still unclear why – one theory is that it is down to an increase in proteins circulating in the body. Consequently, nutrition and exercise programs can help with recovery from all kinds of diseases, including improving cancer outcomes.
We are all interested in living not only longer, but a better quality of life as we age, and the best way to safeguard your independence is to protect your skeletal muscle mass. According to NHS data, around 1 in 3 adults over 65 and half of people over 80 will have at least one fall a year, with the WHO reporting the second most common cause of accidental death is injury from a fall. Increased muscle mass reduces your risk of falling.
This is the long view, but even in the short term, you will experience huge benefits from maintaining and building muscle. Increased muscle helps almost every function in the body, from sleep to energy, and even boosts your libido, thanks to increased production of testosterone. Extra muscle also helps you to get or stay lean and manage your weight in midlife and beyond.
It’s no exaggeration to say that I see higher muscle mass as the fountain of youth.
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In Conclusion
The role of protein in ageing is very important, protein is the body’s armour, essential for building and maintaining muscle mass. Your longevity is dependent on muscle mass. Also, losing weight by slimming only works well if you increase protein as you reduce calories.
Important Note *
Remember that everyone is different, it is ultimately YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to find what your body responds to. So please do your due diligence before trying anything new, including getting Medical Advice to ensure your safety and peace of mind.
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