How Essential Is A Protein Supplement When You Get To 40?
Do we need 'more' protein as we get older?
We hate to admit it, but as we get older, our body changes.
We're not as fit or strong compared to our 20's, nor as flexible or as bouncy!
If you're finding it much harder to exercise and recover, it's probably because you're not consuming enough protein for your age!
Protein As We Age
- We lose up to 5% of our lean muscle mass every decade after 30
- Sarcopenia (the fancy name for this muscle loss) is a serious problem leading to weakness, aches and pains, poor posture, and even loss of mobility.
- Eating enough protein protects your muscle mass, helping to slow down muscle loss as you get older. And it can even keep you leaner, too (because more muscle means less body fat). (1)
- Several studies have identified protein (especially the essential amino acids) as a key nutrient for muscle health in older adults.
What Does Protein Do For Your Body?
Protein is one of the three macronutrients found in food, alongside carbohydrates and fats.
Protein is the building block of our muscle tissue, cells, connective tissue and other soft tissue. Your body uses protein helps us grow, and it helps us stay stronger and leaner as we age.
Protein is an important component of every cell in the body. Hair and nails are mostly made of protein, and your body also uses protein to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals.
Problem is, most of us do not eat anywhere near enough protein. It’s difficult to meet your optimal protein intake through whole food choices like meat, fish, beans, pulses, and dairy.
Which is why we recommend topping up your daily protein intake with a low calorie drink.
Protein, Women, and Hormones
When women experience the menopause, they also experience a decline in estrogen.
This decline is linked to decreased muscle mass and bone strength.
For this reason, women going through menopause should eat more protein.
Guidelines recommend that women over 50 eat either:
- 0.45–0.55 grams of protein per pound (1–1.2 grams per kg) of body weight daily
- or 20–25 grams of high-quality protein per meal
Older women tend to sit more, exercise less. That compounds a natural ageing process called sarcopenia, which is the loss of muscle mass.
By the time women near 80 years, they may have lost as much as half of their skeletal muscle mass. Eating enough protein reduces the impact of muscle wasting.
Boost Your Protein Intake Without Piling On The Pounds? 👇🏻
What Foods Are The Highest In Protein?
There are a wide variety of sources of protein which you can incorporate into your diet to ramp up your protein intake.
The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight or 0.36 grams per pound.
For example: 0.8g x 70kg = 56g protein OR 0.36g x 170lbs = 61.2g protein
Some of the most popular and effective protein sources include
- Meat such as chicken, steak and turkey mince
- Dairies such as cheese, milk and quark
- Nuts such as almonds, peanut butter and cashews
- Others such as avocados, chickpeas, baked beans and eggs.
Of course, you can take a protein supplement, and often, this is the most convenient way to top up where your diet falls short.
You've probably heard of whey protein, but not realised it is as important a supplement to you as it is for younger folk.
Sources of Protein
(per 100g)
MEAT
- Chicken Breast - 32g
- Steak - 25-30g
- Turkey Mince -25.5g
DAIRY
- Full Fat Milk - 3.3g
- Natural Yoghurt - 5.7g
- Cheddar Cheese - 25g
NUTS / OTHER
- Peanut Butter - 25g
- Eggs - 12.5g
- Chickpeas - 8.4g
SUPPLEMENTS
- Lean Greens TRIM - 86.3g
What is Whey Protein?
- Whey protein is a mixture of proteins isolated from whey, which is the liquid part of milk that separates during cheese production.
- Milk actually contains two main types of protein: casein (80%) and whey (20%).
- Whey is found in the watery portion of milk. When cheese is produced, the fatty parts of the milk coagulate and the whey is separated from it as a byproduct.
- If you've ever opened a yoghurt container to see liquid floating on top — that’s whey!
- After being separated during cheese production, whey goes through various processing steps to become what people generally recognise as whey protein — a powder that is added to shakes, meal replacements and protein bars.
TRIM Formula
- 26g of whey protein isolate per drink (that's over 35% of your RDA as an older female)
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Deliciously smooth vanilla drink. We designed TRIM to mix easily with no bits or sickly sweet taste.
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120kcal per drink, you'll get 35% of your daily protein needs without blowing your calorie intake.
- Worried about lactose? The process to create TRIM removes practically all lactose, meaning most people have no tummy discomfort.
- No compromise. Lean Greens doesn't create products down to a price point, we only create the best, most effective product.
How to Take TRIM Whey Protein Isolate
Step 1: Put 250ml cold water in a shaker with a lid
Step 2: Add a slightly heaped scoop of our whey protein powder
Step 3: Shake it up vigorously for 15 seconds
Step 4: Knock it back in one go. Add it to Lean Greens, baking and smoothies