From the age of 30 our muscles decline in mass and strength, by about five per cent every 10 years. In some individuals this can progress to sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is a serious condition, with 10 per cent of adults over the age of 60 thought to have it. In many it goes undiagnosed until a fall or hospitali sation occurs. Numerous things can contribute to sarcopenia, such as a period of immobili sation, certain medications, lack of exercise and poor nutrition. If sarcopenia is present the person may be unable to stand from a chair without assis tance, or have difficulty lifting heavy objects or even walking across a room. Sarcopenia was found to be significantly more prevalent in individuals who performed little or no activity. Since protein is an essential component of muscle, taking regular protein supplements may be helpful. In one review article (Gilmartin et al., 2020) daily supplementation with 35 grams of whey protein was shown to improve sever al markers in the blood associated with sarcopenia. Whey protein also con clusively showed an improvement in the mTOR pathway – this is the system in which the body converts protein into muscle. However, when compared with exercise, supplementation alone was inferior. In another study of older adults (Lin et al., 2021) whey protein powder sup plementation was compared with increased dietary intake of protein. In this study there were no significant differences between the groups in measures
BY RACHEL GARROD
PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTATION FOR SARCOPENIA SUFFERERS
of muscle strength. However, the supplementation group did show an addi tional benefit in terms of walking speed. The daily recommendation for protein intake is 0.8 grams per kilogram of weight but older adults are encouraged to take more, 1-1.5 grams per kilo gram of weight, and ideally this should be taken as different meals rather than in one sitting. Meat, fish, lentils, pulses, eggs and beans are all good sources of protein. The upshot is that we need plenty of protein in our diet and plenty of exer cise in our life. Walking, stair climbing and even gardening are good forms of exercise but resistance training is most effective at building muscle mass. If it is difficult to get sufficient protein from your diet then supplementing with a protein powder may be a good idea, but for most people a nutritious diet should be enough. If you are worried about your muscle strength, or just want advice getting stronger, please get in touch.
Rachel Garrod Respiratory Physiotherapist Ph.D Tel. (34) 699 501 190 rachelgarrod1@gmail.com www.betterbreathingphysio.com
