Abstract
Maintaining independence, quality of life, and health is crucial for elderly adults. One of the major threats to living independently is the loss of muscle mass, strength, and function that progressively occurs with aging, known as sarcopenia. Several studies have identified protein (especially the essential amino acids) as a key nutrient for muscle health in elderly adults. Elderly adults are less responsive to the anabolic stimulus of low doses of amino acid intake compared to younger individuals. However, this lack of responsiveness in elderly adults can be overcome with higher levels of protein (or essential amino acid) consumption. The requirement for a larger dose of protein to generate responses in elderly adults similar to the responses in younger adults provides the support for a beneficial effect of increased protein in older populations. The purpose of this review is to present the current evidence related to dietary protein intake and muscle health in elderly adults.
Highlights
The United States is experiencing considerable growth in its elderly adult population
The requirement for a larger dose of protein to generate responses in elderly adults similar to the responses in younger adults provides the support for a beneficial effect of increased protein in older populations [8]
Adults are less responsive to the anabolic stimulus of low doses of amino acid intake compared to younger adults [18]
Summary
The United States is experiencing considerable growth in its elderly adult population. One reason for the increase in obesity could be due to body composition shifts that occur as we age, resulting in a higher percentage of body fat and decreases in muscle mass with age [6]. Both sarcopenia and obesity act synergistically, which increases the risk of negative health outcomes and earlier onset of disability [2]. Protein intake greater than the recommended amounts may improve muscle health, prevent sarcopenia [9], and help maintain energy balance, weight management [10], and cardiovascular function [11,12,13]. The purpose of this review is to present the current evidence related to dietary protein intake and muscle health in elderly adults
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