No, I’m not turning to satire here at the Fabulous Food Blog. Science has discovered a way to help treat and reverse skeletal muscle deterioration in older folks by using a common Protein supplement in concert with strategies to make seniors more active. That’s great news for many…
It’s not unusual for older people to become more sedentary and to eat less than used to,
when they were working and raising families. But resulting muscle loss can affect
balance, gait and the ability to perform the simple tasks of everyday life.
Older folks routinely become more sedate and avoid vigorous exercise. That’s just natural. But it also leads to loss of muscle mass and strength, which in turn can affect balance, gait and the ability to perform the simple tasks of everyday life.
Now, researchers at McMaster University have discovered how to reverse muscle loss in the elderly by combining a specific Protein supplement with a carefully designed plan to make seniors more active.
What they did…
Researchers recruited non-smoking, non-diabetic test subjects between the ages of 65 and 80 and divided them randomly into two groups. One group was given Whey Protein supplements and the other was given Collagen Peptides. Subjects in both groups were put on Calorie-reduced diets and their activity levels were restricted to 750 steps a day. By comparison, the average adult is encouraged to log at least 10,000 steps a day to maintain cardiovsacular health and muscle strength.
Researchers predicted that the group that received Collagen Peptides would lose more muscle than the other group. But they were surprised to find that both groups lost the same amount of muscle mass over the term of the trial.
In a second round of tests, researchers compared the effects of the two different supplements on the same two groups under a regimen designed to rebuild muscle mass. That meant, mainly, a return to ‘normal’ diet and activity patterns.
What they found…
Researchers found that ‘recovering’ seniors who were given Whey Protein supplements responded significantly more positively to the treatment regime than those who received Collagen Peptides.
“The important message here is that not all proteins are created equal. Whey is one of the highest quality proteins and is ideal for older persons,” says Dr. Stuart Phillips, Senior Author on the study and a Professor of Kinesiology at McMaster.
What makes Whey Protein superior?
Whey Protein is a high-quality or complete protein, meaning it is rich in all essential amino acids and is higher in Leucine, one of the essential amino acids the body cannot make itself and therefore, must derive from food. Collagen Peptides, on the other hand, are much lower in Leucine.
Researchers have, therefore, concluded that concluded that Leucine is key to the maintenance of muscle mass in seniors, in concert with a properly designed activity programame.
The takeaway…
“When we consider measures that can be taken to help seniors as they age, it’s clear that whey is an important ingredient. Conversely, we should avoid collagen in formulations targeting older people,” says Sara Oikawa the Lead Author of the study report and a Graduate Student in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster.
Future research will focus on differences between men and women in regaining strength under the Whey Protein and exercise regimen. Women, Okiawa notes, seem to have more trouble rebuilding muscle mass after significant loss.
My take…
I’ve seen so many older people – including my 93-year-oild Mother – who have suffered not only health issues but social ones as a result of reduced calorie intake and activity, and resulting muscle loss. Some physicians still consider this ‘;normal’ result of aging. But I can see a day, not too far off, when restoring lost muscle mass and increasing Calorie intake and activity levels in the elderly will be considered a normal past of aging.
Note to self: Add Whey Protein to the shopping list. It’s available in all dietary supplement shops and many pharmacies.
~ Maggie J.