Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content material. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, pictures, and quotes to which Dr. Greger could also be referring, watch the above video.
Population research have discovered that failing to satisfy the really useful each day consumption of protein is correlated with a decrease lean body mass, and people exceeding the RDA related to considerably larger lean body mass in comparison with these failing to satisfy the really useful consumption. Greater protein consumption has additionally been linked to larger grip strength over time, although not thought-about sufficient to be clinically significant. You don’t know if these correlations are even cause-and-effect although, till you place it to the check.
To see if rising the protein consumption for the aged would assist, Harvard researchers randomized older males with reasonably impaired perform to managed diets providing the really useful 0.8 g/kg per day, or bumping them as much as 1.3g/kg a day with a whey and casein protein powder, with or with out added testosterone. Six months later, there was no distinction in lean mass, muscle strength, fatigue, strolling pace, stair-climbing energy, or any of the opposite measures of efficiency, perform, or well-being with the added protein, whether or not mixed with testosterone or not––suggesting that the really useful dietary allowance of 0.8 grams of protein per healthy kilogram of body weight, or about 50 grams a day, is ample to take care of lean body mass even in previous age, and does not assist this thought that including further protein might promote bulking up further lean mass.
Even research that do present a rise in lean mass with protein supplementation doesn’t essentially imply a rise in muscle mass. The subject is claimed to be “plagued” with researchers referring to lean mass as a sign of muscle mass, however high protein consumption alone may cause important liver and kidney swelling. And so, a rise in whole body lean mass may be a mirrored image of “increased visceral organ size” or water retention, which additionally reveals up as lean mass. For instance, a 10-week randomized managed trial discovered that aged males on twice the protein RDA placed on three kilos (1.35 kg) of lean mass over that of these simply getting the RDA, however nearly all of the mass was of their trunk. When cross-sections of their thigh muscle mass had been analyzed utilizing CT scans, there was no important distinction between the 2 protein ranges. Similarly, modifications in muscle space measured by CT had been discovered to be unrelated to protein consumption in a potential examine that adopted greater than a thousand older adults over 5 years.
The gold customary for assessing muscle dimension is using MRI scans. Randomize lots of of males and women over 65 years previous to a 12 months of a placebo management containing desk sugar, versus a low-quality protein (collagen), versus whey protein, with or with out low or high depth resistance training, and the exercise group gained muscle, however the protein didn’t assist in any respect. It made no distinction in muscle dimension, strength, or efficiency. Even the whey protein, bumping them from common protein ranges as much as 1.5 g/kg, did no higher than feeding them the equal of sugar drugs—and the examine was designed and paid for by a whey firm! A two-year whey intervention—one of many largest, longest such research ever run—equally failed to indicate any advantages over placebo.
Put all these research collectively on utilizing protein or amino acid supplementation to protect muscle mass and strength in older males and women, and total, there was no important enchancment in lean body mass or higher or decrease body muscle strength.
That was with out concurrent exercise, although. Maybe further protein works when mixed with strength training? Very few research confirmed any profit to including protein or amino acid supplementation throughout resistance exercise, however sufficient trended in the correct route that should you put all of them collectively, protein supplementation mixed with resistance exercise held a small edge over resistance exercise alone amongst older people. After a median of 18 weeks of training, fat-free mass, handgrip, knee extension, and leg press strength every elevated by an additional half pound (0.23 kg) on protein, although this didn’t translate into any important enchancment in muscle perform (similar to rising from a chair, stair climbing, or strolling pace). Now right here, “elderly” was outlined as “over 50.” Restricting the scope to research enrolling precise aged people (common age 70 or older), resistance exercise training labored; nonetheless, they discovered no important additive results to protein supplementation on any consequence—lean mass, muscle strength, or useful talents.
In non-frail older adults, further protein seems to have little or no impact on muscle mass, strength, or efficiency when taken alone or added to an exercise routine. Okay, however what about in those that really want it––frail people? One of the primary issues doled out by docs is a “nutrition shake,” like Ensure®, that are usually ultra-processed sugary messes of corn syrup, oil, and protein concentrates, usually laced with synthetic colours, flavors, and sweeteners. Though Big Pharma giants, like Abbot Laboratories (makers of Ensure), spend hundreds of thousands of {dollars} a 12 months in lobbying and marketing campaign contributions to assist make these merchandise drugs’s go-to alternative, should you take a look at the proof, a scientific evaluation and meta-analysis of randomized managed trials on such drinks for the administration of frailty discovered no discernible profit for any measured outcomes—muscle mass, muscle strength, muscle perform, frailty standing, cognitive perform, or mortality.
What about these affected by sarcopenia, accelerated age-related muscle loss? A scientific evaluation and meta-analysis concluded that protein was a wash throughout the board for enhancing muscle mass, strength, or efficiency amongst aged sarcopenic people. The greatest research on protein or amino acid dietary supplements for unhealthy older adults with acute or persistent situations additionally discovered no important impact.
Researchers have been looking for efficient methods to enhance muscle mass in older folks for many years, and thus far, solely resistance exercise has constantly yielded advantages. One of the most important and most rigorous research to deal with pre-frail and frail adults was revealed in 2021. Hundreds had been enrolled to check the results of leucine, whey protein, soy protein, creatine, and a mix of creatine and whey versus a placebo management (cornstarch) within the context of a 16-week resistance training program. The strength training itself labored, rising muscle mass and performance, however every part else flopped. No additional advantage to frail or pre-frail people taking any of these dietary supplements in comparison with taking a cornstarch placebo. An analogous trial of lots of of sarcopenic males and women, 75 and older, given 40 grams of whey-enriched protein a day, mixed with exercise, for a complete 12 months with a 43-month follow-up discovered that every one the additional protein did not gradual the deterioration of muscle mass and bodily efficiency considerably higher than a placebo––all of the extra vital because it is among the largest and longest-lasting randomized managed trials ever revealed on the topic.
Consumer Reports famous that an investigation of 134 top-selling protein powder merchandise discovered nearly all examined optimistic for no less than one heavy metallic, building on their very own examine that concluded “You don’t need the extra protein or the heavy metals our tests found.”
Please think about volunteering to assist out on the location.
