Protein is a macronutrient that’s a hot commodity these days, particularly its association with muscle growth and weight maintenance. It also plays a key role in keeping older adults healthy and strong as they age.
“As an older adult, your needs increase due to a decline in your ability to absorb nutrients,” says Claudia Hleap-Knight, RD, CDCES, a diabetes educator and nutritional consultant based in Philadelphia. “Also, as appetite and taste change, it may become a challenge to get adequate protein and calories to maintain weight and muscle mass.”
With age, muscles respond less to protein intake, a phenomenon known as anabolic resistance. This is a contributing factor to sarcopenia, which is the loss of strength and muscle mass in older age, which is why experts may recommend more protein for older adults.
Here’s how to know if your body is getting an inadequate amount of protein (or too much), why that matters, and which foods are the best sources.
Read the full article here
