protein amount and distribution is important across adult ages to limit gradual muscle loss with age

The Protein Factor: Who Should Care?

At what age does protein consumption and its distribution throughout the day start affecting the gradual loss of muscle? That’s the question posed to Doug Paddon-Jones, PhD, in this section of our interview. In Part 1, he explained why it’s important to look at how protein is distributed throughout the day’s eating rather than looking only at total protein consumption. Here, he moves on to clarify who should pay attention. Dr. Paddon-Jones is Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Metabolism at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, where he conducts research on muscle loss and formation.

Following the video, read on for additional insights.

 

Rather than wait until becoming a person at risk, says Dr. Paddon-Jones, create the habit now of distributing protein through the day in the manner that best supports building and maintaining muscle. The power of habit is well supported by research, but who are the people who have special reason to pay attention now? Are you:

♦ Middle Aged? Beyond?

Gradual loss of muscle can begin even earlier in adulthood if you aren’t including some form of strength-training activity at least twice each week. As middle age hits, this process tends to escalate, and (as noted in Part 1 of our interview) the body’s ability to respond to small bits of protein declines, so making sure that you are effectively distributing protein through the day is becoming more important.

♦ Losing Weight?

Although we talk about “losing weight”, the benefits for heart health, type 2 diabetes control and lower cancer risk come from reducing excess body fat, especially fat deposited in the abdomen that’s associated with increased waist size. Unfortunately, weight loss brings some muscle loss as well. Less muscle loss occurs when weight loss comes from reducing calories consumed and increased physical activity rather than calorie-cutting alone. Since protein distribution helps minimize muscle losses in other circumstances, it could potentially reduce muscle loss in this circumstance, too.

Some research suggests attention to protein distribution may help the weight loss process as well, since meals with at least 24 grams of protein seem to promote satiety (keeping hunger satisfied longer) better than meals with only small bits of protein. Just as with effects on muscle, extra-high protein at a meal does not seem to suppress hunger any better than moderate amounts.

Make sure that as you cut calories, you don’t cut protein below what you need.  Your need does not decrease just because you’re consuming fewer calories.

♦  Building or Rebuilding?

Athletes are often well-aware of the need to build and maintain muscle. Yet people in cardiac, respiratory, cancer and post-surgical rehab are all working at (re)building muscle, too. If adequate protein is not available in the few hours near exercise, however, the muscle rebuilding process can’t move ahead as effectively as it  could.

♦ On Bedrest?

When illness has someone getting little or no activity, it doesn’t take long for muscle breakdown to increase. Among older adults, this muscle loss is especially increased, according to Dr. Paddon-Jones and others. (Come back for the next portion of our interview for more on this!) If this is you, or someone you care about, it’s worth including protein sources that will bring you above the muscle-building threshold several times a day.

What about Plant-Focused Eaters?

In our interview, you may notice that Dr. Paddon-Jones referred several times to getting enough “high quality protein” to maintain healthy amounts of muscle. High quality protein refers to protein that is not lacking in any of the “essential amino acids” we need to get from food. Since high quality protein comes primarily from animal foods (fish, poultry, meat, egg, dairy) and only a few plant food sources, where does this leave vegetarians and others who enjoy meatless meals frequently? I asked Dr. Paddon-Jones if he was suggesting a return to former ideas of “complementing” protein sources in plant-only meals. He did not feel this a necessary concern for occasional meatless meals, and even for vegans, as long as current advice to balance protein sources over the course of the day is followed.

When needing to rebuild muscle, research from Dr. Paddon-Jones and others have found one particular essential amino acid called leucine (pronounced “loo-seen”) of particular importance. Leucine acts as a trigger to turn on the muscle building process, stimulating muscle to take up amino acids in the blood and incorporate them into muscle. Emerging research suggests that getting at least 2.5 grams of leucine per meal is needed to trigger muscle-building; more studies are needed to confirm and evaluate in diverse groups of people.

Animal protein foods tend to be highest in leucine, but this is not one of the amino acids that is consistently low in a particular group of plant foods.  A small observational study comparing vegetarian and non-vegetarian pre- and postmenopausal U.S women did not find differences in essential amino acid intake or links to muscle mass. In amounts that provide equal amounts of protein, legumes (dried beans like kidney and garbanzo beans, lentils, split peas and peanuts) and dairy products are especially good sources of leucine. Yet leucine is found in all foods that provide protein, so focusing on getting enough total protein at each meal should work for plant-focused eaters, too.

Come back for more research updates — You won’t want to miss the final segment of my interview with Dr. Paddon-Jones, when he addresses the question of how this message pertains to sick versus healthy people, and the issue of protein timing in relationship to exercise.

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3 Comments

  1. Jamie Johnson on October 10, 2013 at 11:02 am

    Some of the ideas I share with my older adult clients to increase their protein intake have included: Whole wheat french toast made with egg whites, Fage Greek yogurt instead of other brands because it has 17-20g protein per serving with Kashi Go-lean crunch cereal (9-10 grams per serving) or Special K Protein Plus cereal with berries, tuna or chicken salad sandwiches on whole wheat bread or pitas, adding beans to meals and just looking for ways to add a few grams to what they are already eating at each meal and snack to make sure they hit that 30 gram mark throughout the day.

    • Karen on October 10, 2013 at 5:05 pm

      Thanks, Jamie! Other ideas anybody? Watch for the final post in this set…coming soon!

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Karen Collins
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I Take Nutrition Science From Daunting to Doable.™

As a registered dietitian nutritionist, one of the most frequent complaints I hear from people — including health professionals — is that they are overwhelmed by the volume of sometimes-conflicting nutrition information.

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