Throughout life, from young to old, proteins play an important role in supporting the health and functioning of the body, including strong bones and maintaining muscle mass.
Proteins consist of twenty amino acids and these are the building blocks for our muscles, our hormones, our enzymes and for the formation of antibodies in our immune system. Nine of the twenty amino acids that our body needs, we cannot produce ourselves, but we have to get from food.
There are numerous studies focusing on the optimal daily protein dose, protein quality and consumption pattern for different meals.
As argued in recent opinion articles and consensus statements, a protein diet higher than the RDA (1.0-1.5 g/kg BW/day) should be recommended to prevent or delay age-related muscle atrophy and neuromuscular decline.
What is the role of muscle mass in this? Muscle mass is the largest organ in our body. Muscle mass is balanced by muscle protein synthesis and muscle protein breakdown, with dietary intake, especially regular consumption of sufficient protein, being essential to stimulate protein synthesis to counteract age-related wasting (sarcopenia) and maintain muscle function.
The reason? Unlike fat and carbohydrates, proteins cannot be stored in the body in an inactive compound to serve as a reservoir, but the muscles themselves are the largest emergency reservoir.
Dietary protein intake must therefore be sufficient to maintain body function, to prevent muscle protein from being used as a source of amino acids. Optimizing daily protein intake - combined with exercise - is key.
All Alika Nutrition products are composed of whey, milk and vegetable proteins with a high nutritional profile and all essential amino acids are abundantly present, even leucine, which is considered an important stimulator of muscle anabolism (protein synthesis).
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Vegetable proteins from the germ of carob seeds
Protein intake in older adults.