Aging is associated with anabolic resistance — a muscle’s resistance to growth or stimulation of muscle protein synthesis (MPS) — making it harder to build or maintain muscle mass. In other words, older muscles require a greater dose of protein to stimulate a similar amount of MPS as younger muscles.[1] For this reason, older adults who want to build or maintain muscle may need more protein (per day and per meal) than the RDA recommends, and whey protein is a great source because of its potent ability to stimulate MPS.
In adults older than 60, whey protein supplementation (often when combined with resistance training) increases physical function, improves lean mass/skeletal muscle mass and upper-body strength in those with sarcopenia/frailty,[2][3] and is effective for increasing total protein intake and MPS.[4] Whey protein and resistance training also help postmenopausal women build more upper body strength and lower-body lean mass.[5]
References
- ^Burd NA, Gorissen SH, van Loon LJAnabolic resistance of muscle protein synthesis with agingExerc Sport Sci Rev.(2013 Jul)
- ^Nasimi N, Sohrabi Z, Nunes EA, Sadeghi E, Jamshidi S, Gholami Z, Akbarzadeh M, Faghih S, Akhlaghi M, Phillips SMWhey Protein Supplementation with or without Vitamin D on Sarcopenia-Related Measures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Adv Nutr.(2023-Jul)
- ^Bai GH, Tsai MC, Tsai HW, Chang CC, Hou WHEffects of branched-chain amino acid-rich supplementation on EWGSOP2 criteria for sarcopenia in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Eur J Nutr.(2022-Mar)
- ^Colonetti T, Grande AJ, Milton K, Foster C, Alexandre MC, Uggioni ML, Rosa MIEffects of whey protein supplement in the elderly submitted to resistance training: systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Food Sci Nutr.(2017-May)
- ^Kuo YY, Chang HY, Huang YC, Liu CWEffect of Whey Protein Supplementation in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients.(2022-Oct-10)