Protein slows down muscle wasting
Dr. Andrea Bannert has been with since 2013. The doctor of biology and medicine editor initially carried out research in microbiology and is the team's expert on the tiny things: bacteria, viruses, molecules and genes. She also works as a freelancer for Bayerischer Rundfunk and various science magazines and writes fantasy novels and children's stories.
More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.The German Nutrition Society recommends that adults eat 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. But that's not enough for seniors, say experts.
Because muscles dwindle with age. In addition, proteins are more difficult to utilize than at a young age. Various studies have shown that when people over 65 years of age ingested high amounts of protein between 1.0 and 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight, this slowed down muscle breakdown compared to seniors who had not eaten enough protein. "The increased protein requirement is probably also related to chronic and acute illnesses," say geriatricians Rebecca Diekmann and Jürgen Bauer from the Oldenburg University Hospital.
Soy after exercise
If you want to achieve the greatest possible effect, you should combine the protein meal with physical training. The consumption of proteins after exercise stimulates the development of muscle mass and muscle strength particularly well, according to Diekmann and Bauer.
Nevertheless, “a lot helps a lot” does not apply. A saturation effect occurs from 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. More protein then has no further positive effect on muscle mass. If you eat too many proteins, you will also feel full, even though your total energy requirement may not yet be met. Caution should also be exercised in people with kidney disease. You should consume a maximum of 0.6 to 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day.
When and what?
The two geriatricians know that it is not only the amount of protein that is decisive, but also which proteins are eaten and how meals are distributed throughout the day. Because the body cannot store the amino acids. Therefore, it is better to spread them over several meals instead of taking the daily requirement at once.
The amino acid leucine, among other things, seems to have a particularly beneficial effect on muscle building. This is contained in whey protein, for example, but less in casein. And Dorothee Volkert from the Institute for Biomedicine of Aging in Nuremberg recommends following a Mediterranean diet. Three quarters of the food should be of vegetable origin. Vegetable protein suppliers are for example soy, legumes, oats, spelled, millet and potatoes.
Sources:
Volkert D .: Which food for whom? Nutrient and energy requirements of the different age groups and options for nutritional intervention. Aktuel Ernahrungsmed 2015; 40 (S 01): S32-S35, DOI: 10.1055 / s-0034-1387506, Georg Thieme Verlag.
Diekmann R. and Bauer J.M .: Protein Requirements of Older People. Dtsch med Wochenschr 2014; 139: 239-242, DOI: 10.1055 / s-0033-1359989, Georg Thieme Verlag.
Tags: drugs sleep vaccinations
