Can protein help women age well?

Eating adequate protein plays an essential role in preserving skeletal muscle as women age.

It’s impossible to move through your day without seeing a headline about what you should eat for good health. In your lifetime, you’ve most likely witnessed the popularity of macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat, or protein) rise and fall. Most of us are old enough to remember the nonfat obsession of the early 90s. Today protein is all the rage, but does it have a role in aging well through menopause and beyond?

Eating protein is essential to good health. As you age, it helps maintain healthy muscles and physical functioning. Compared to carbohydrates and fats, protein also takes the longest amount of time (and energy) for the body to digest and absorb, so it has a significant role in helping you stay full longer after a meal.

A growing body of research suggests that loss of skeletal muscle mass (sarcopenia) and strength along with fat accumulation in muscle tissue begins in your 40s. Decreasing estrogen plays a part in the process, but so does the increase of sedentary time (e.g., sitting too much) and decline of physical activity. The combination over time decreases muscle strength and power by two to three percent a year. The progression can lead to increased risk of falls, metabolic dysfunction, heart and respiratory disease, early mortality, and decreased quality of life.1

The good news is you can prevent this decline by eating high-quality protein throughout the day and exercising (prioritizing, strength, or resistance training). You can read more about the keys to getting fit after 50 and how to sit less and move more in previous blog posts. Today we’re focusing on protein as part of a nourishing eating pattern for aging well after menopause.

Why do you need protein? 

Eating adequate protein plays a role in making and preserving skeletal muscle before, during, and after menopause. Protein distribution at meals and quality have also been reviewed recently in the literature.

The current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is .8 grams per kilogram (1 kg = 2.2 pounds) of body weight. The RDA is the amount of protein healthy adults need each day to prevent deficiencies. However, there has been criticism that these recommendations may not be optimal for older adults who may need additional protein to sustain muscle mass and functionality.

Experts suggest that the current protein recommendations don’t account for research showing that while older people can make as much muscle as younger individuals, they require more protein to achieve the same effect. 

How much protein do you need after menopause?

Your personal protein goals will vary based on your age, activity level, and goals. Working with a registered dietitian is the best approach for determining exactly how much protein you need each day.

However, several expert groups have advocated for 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for healthy adults and >1.2 grams of protein per kilogram per day for older adults with acute or chronic illnesses. For example, a healthy 150-pound woman would need 68 to 82 grams of protein a day.

Is there an optimal way to consume protein?

Our skeletal muscles are in a constant state of growth and repair, so it’s essential to understand how to feed them most effectively. Studies have looked at whether it is better to consume protein throughout the day or at a single meal and suggest an even distribution throughout the day helps maximize muscle-making.

Aim for 20-25 grams of protein at each meal and pair 5 to 10 grams of protein with a fruit, vegetable, or fat as a snack.

Does protein quality matter?

As women age, the protein quality may be more critical than when younger. Protein quality impacts digestion, absorption, amino acid composition (e.g., essential amino acids that our bodies don’t make), muscle growth, and muscle repair. 

Animal and plant foods provide protein, but meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, and seafood supply all the amino acids that the body cannot produce. Gram for gram, animal proteins are better for stimulating muscle growth than plant proteins, but both can help you reach your protein goals. Plus, plant foods are packed with nutrition, like fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals beneficial for aging, without the cholesterol and saturated fats found in animal products.

Leucine, a branched-chain amino acid required to grow and repair muscle, skin, and bone, may be vital in preventing age-related sarcopenia. Plant foods tend to be lower in leucine than foods rich in animal proteins. Short-term studies have evaluated higher doses of leucine at meals with lower total protein content and seen beneficial effects on muscle growth. Therefore, try to incorporate foods like chicken, steak, pork chops, tuna, tofu, tempeh, chickpeas, lentils, navy beans, milk, yogurt, nuts, seeds, and eggs into your daily eating pattern. 

Can protein powders help you reach your protein goals?

Although we do recommend eating whole foods to meet your protein needs, there are times when protein powders can help supplement your protein goals. There are many choices on the market. 

Whey protein (from dairy) is one of the most commonly used proteins, contains all the essential amino acids, and is easily digested. Collagen is popular on the market today, but it doesn’t include all the essential amino acids. Research is still inconclusive regarding health benefits, so if you’re reaching for a supplement, you’re better off choosing an alternative to meet your protein requirements. 

Many plant-based protein powders are incomplete protein sources (lacking all essential amino acids), so you may find plant-based powders contain a mixture of plant protein sources. Plant-based options include soy, brown rice, pea, or hemp. The bottom line is to choose a protein powder you like with the least amount of additional additives. 

In summary

Eating adequate amounts of high-quality protein throughout the day, doing resistance or strength exercises at least twice a week, and reducing sedentary time are all vital for maintaining muscle mass and strength as you age.

No matter your age now is the time to assess your intake, review the quality, and look at how you distribute protein in your meals and snacks. Aging well may require tweaks to what you eat and your exercise routine to ensure you live the quality of life you desire in your later years.

Resources: 

1. McKendry J, Currier BS, Lim C, Mcleod JC, Thomas ACQ, Phillips SM. Nutritional Supplements to Support Resistance Exercise in Countering the Sarcopenia of Aging. Nutrients. 2020 Jul 10;12(7):2057. DOI: 10.3390/nu12072057. Erratum in: Nutrients. 2021 Mar 23;13(3): PMID: 32664408; PMCID: PMC7399875.

2. Roger PS, Zanella R Jr, Martins GL, et al. Strategies to Prevent sarcopenia in the Aging Process: Role of Protein Intake and Exercise. Nutrients. 2021;14(1):52. Published 2021 Dec 23. doi:10.3390/nu14010052

14 Ways to Find Joy in Your Diet

In 2012, my husband and I (Rebecca) challenged ourselves to go 100% vegan for one month. To be honest, when I committed, I didn’t eat a lot of meat. Dave, on the other hand, enjoyed meat, eggs, and dairy foods. As you can imagine, his vegan eating pattern lasted less than two weeks. Mine lasted over seven years.  However, I have to admit I was never comfortable calling myself vegan. I preferred to say I mainly ate plants, vegetarian with no dairy, or 90% vegan. 

Why was I hesitant to self-identify as a vegan? I’ve always loved all aspects of food — growing, preparing, eating, and experiencing the taste, smell, and textures. I grew up traveling, and part of experiencing and appreciating other cultures always included the food. For example, when I traveled to Canada, I tried poutine, and when in Scotland, haggis. My family trips growing up included visits to local markets and joining local food tours. Now, I design and share similar adventures with my children, such as sampling various types of tacos and agua frescas from local vendors on the streets of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

For me, identifying and following one diet fad or way of eating such as vegan, paleo, Whole 30, Atkins, or gluten-free meant saying no to a valued experience. It also meant feeling like a fraud or diet imposter if I broke from the strict diet philosophy. 

As I’ve moved throughout my career, I’ve seen diets come and go, and the diet feuds only get worse. Individuals with strong food identities constantly fight online about which ideology has more scientific merit, extends life, or best fends off disease. In reality, and rarely mentioned, these ways of eating have far more principles in common (more fruits, vegetables, and fiber and limited ultra-processed foods) than conflicting advice (meat and dairy types and quantity recommendations). As a result of the fighting, many people are confused, fed up, disconnected, and feel like failures because they haven’t been able to comply with one or more of these restrictive eating regimens.

I am not saying that following a specific dietary pattern won’t have personal benefits for individuals. I’ve seen people lose weight, improve blood pressure, reduce blood cholesterol levels, improve blood sugars, and feel better by modifying what and how much they eat. I firmly believe in the health benefits of food — especially fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. I also understand the medical necessity to limit foods for specific allergies or chronic diseases.  

At the same time, I strongly believe in the mental and social benefits of coming around the table to share a meal with family, friends, colleagues, and strangers. Something magical happens when we eat together and fill our souls with nourishing foods. We may be restricting joy in our lives when we are so strongly attached to a certain dietary pattern, believe recommendations are rules that if broken equal failure, or refuse to see the value in other approaches to eating. 

Are your food rules limiting your potential to experience joy from food or eating experiences?

Circle the statements below you practice. 

• I am open to trying new foods even if I am unfamiliar with the ingredients 

• I don’t feel guilty if I stray from my usual way of eating

• I accept invitations to social events even if I know I won’t be able to find foods within my typical eating style

• I don’t preach the benefits of the way I eat to others without them asking

• I try foods from other cultures even if they don’t align with my preferred eating pattern

• I eat and enjoy foods at holidays and family events that are considered family traditions even if they aren’t consistent with my diet rules

• I prioritize eating foods that are high quality and nourishing over foods that strictly comply with a certain diet pattern

• I understand that prescriptive eating patterns are merely a guide for choosing foods for good health, and understand that choosing foods outside of the recommendations will not derail an overall healthy diet

• I look for ways to find commonalities in eating patterns instead of denouncing the value of the food choices other people make 

• I understand that eating for health and well-being includes enjoying food, experiencing culture, and celebrating with family traditions

• I know that a single food or meal will not ruin or break any diet rules

• I don’t avoid eating categories of macronutrients such as carbohydrates or fats

• I realize a healthful eating pattern for me may differ from someone else 

• I understand that what and how much food my body needs may change as I age due to my activity level and body composition, and I am ok with that

Review the list. Did you leave statements uncircled? These may be areas of opportunity for you to modify and discover more joy in eating. 

As I’ve aged, I have to say I am tired of the all-or-nothing approach to eating. I don’t want to restrict the enjoyment out of my life by following a rigid eating pattern. Although I follow a plant-based eating pattern most of the time, I want to be able to dine with friends, travel, and enjoy a good meal without feeling stressed that I am breaking diet rules, if I try something unusual. I don’t want to feel guilty or not a part of a particular tribe as a result of the food choices I make. 

We live in a diet culture. We are experiencing a time of divisiveness where picking teams is more common than styling our lives in ways that bring us joy. As we enter the prime time of our lives, let’s focus on joy and re-design our lives to live fully and authentically. 

Instead of challenging you with yet a new diet for flourishing after 50, I challenge you to loosen the reins and seek joy in the experience of eating well without strict food rules. 

Rumble on!