It is the golden age of protein, or to be more precise, the golden age of “protein supplements”. The production and sales of protein products across the food and functional health food sectors are increasing at an extremely rapid rate. Everyone seems to be taking vitamin supplements uncritically thanks to word of mouth that they are helpful in preventing sarcopenia in later life. However, some point out that it is somewhat irrational for all age groups to increase protein intake.
◇ Protein intake, why is it necessary?
While it varies from person to person, in general muscle mass, strength, and physical function begin to gradually decline after reaching a peak around age 30. When physical activity decreases, muscle loss is inevitable. This decline in muscle strength, together with dizziness, is responsible for the high number of falls in old age.
Sarcopenia can also cause chronic diseases such as diabetes or hyperlipidemia. Once discovered, it is difficult to control and you may have to take medications for the rest of your life. Even if food intake is significantly reduced, digestive system diseases such as constipation and gastroesophageal reflux disease often occur.
Therefore, the main causes of sarcopenia are basically aging and disease. Various hormonal changes occur as we age, and while this is not diabetes, it is often accompanied by some degree of insulin resistance. At this time, the efficiency of the muscle protein production machinery within the muscle cells decreases. To avoid this, protein intake is more important than anything else. With the publication of the results of this research, sales of protein-rich foods or protein supplements have recently increased rapidly.
◇ Benefits of proteins
First of all, protein makes you feel less hungry. Even a small amount of protein increases your level of the peptide hormone YY, so you feel fuller more easily than fats or carbohydrates. That’s why they say it is effective in the diet.
Proteins, if consumed in adequate quantities, are also useful for maintaining muscle strength. It also promotes muscle growth. This means it helps prevent muscle loss. Research findings have also shown that animal protein is good for bone health. For the same reason it is known that it helps prevent the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
High protein foods are also good for your metabolism. It has a much higher thermogenic effect than fats or carbohydrates, significantly improving metabolism and increasing calorie burn. A high protein intake is also useful to prevent the yo-yo effect.
◇ Relationship between protein intake and muscle mass
In older age, it has been recommended that a protein intake of 1.2 to 1.5 g per kg of body weight per day can prevent worsening of muscle loss. By this standard, about two-thirds of the Korean elderly population can be said to be protein deficient.
Certainly, a high-protein diet can help prevent sarcopenia in people 60 years or older, who may have so-called “assimilation resistance” due to low protein intake. However, for other people without anabolic resistance or protein deficiencies, excessive protein intake may only result in increased calorie intake. This means there is a problem with blindly focusing on protein intake even if you are not old.
Professor Jeong Hee-won of the Department of Geriatric Internal Medicine at Asan Medical Center in Seoul said: “For older people who have difficulty achieving the recommended protein intake through daily meals, taking protein supplements can be an option, but also for those who do Otherwise, consuming excessive amounts of high-protein meals and protein supplements may help.“This may not happen,” he said.
◇ Which protein is good?
Professor Jeong stressed that if people aged 60 or older choose protein supplements, they should pay particular attention to the total amount of protein, leucine content and simple sugar content, which can have an adverse effect on chronic diseases. This means that among some foods sold as high-protein products, there are products that, converted into the recommended daily intake, actually consume mainly simple sugars. Experts warn that such foods can actually be harmful to middle-aged adults.
Experts say that by supplementing around 20g of protein per day, focusing on essential amino acids, you can reach your protein intake goal of around 1.2g/kg per day. It is said that you need to eat a little more plant protein to see similar effects as animal protein.
Among meats, boiled pork tenderloin has a high protein content of 32.3 g. Boiled chicken breast weighs approximately 28.1 g, beef fillet approximately 26.5 g and pork neck approximately 24.1 g. Among fish, grilled salmon weighs approximately 29.3 g and mackerel approximately 25.2 g. A boiled egg weighs approximately 13.5 g while a fried egg weighs approximately 15.1 g. Tofu weighs 9.6 g.
◇ Old age is essential, middle age…
Ultimately, if the goal is to prevent sarcopenia in people 60 years of age or older, supplements with fewer additives such as unnecessary simple sugars and with a higher content of leucine, the most important ingredient for improving ‘assimilation”. At the same price, products containing a lot of whey protein are said to be better.
However, unless the goal is to prevent sarcopenia in later life, it is recommended to consume as little leucine as possible, which activates ‘Mtor’. Professor Jeong says: “Plant proteins with a relatively low leucine content may be better than leucine-enriched products or animal proteins with a high leucine content.”
For reference, if your main goal is to increase muscle building, experts recommend taking protein supplements within 1 hour before and after exercise. On the other hand, if the main goal is to prevent muscle loss, it is said to be beneficial to take it on an empty stomach with a low protein intake.
Reporter Lee Eui-hyeon yhlee@viva2080.com
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