Protein Needs of Older Adults | How Much and When

We’re diving into your protein needs on today’s episode. My guest is a well-known researcher from the UTMB. 

My Guest:

Dr. Paddon-Jones is the Sheridan Lorenz Distinguished Professor in Aging and Health in the Department of Nutrition and Metabolism at the University of Texas Medical Branch. He is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and senior fellow of the Sealy Center on Aging.

Research in the Paddon-Jones Lab is supported by NIH, NASA and industry grants and focuses on the regulation of muscle mass and function in healthy and clinical populations. Recent studies have included: dietary protein distribution, the effects of physical inactivity in middle-aged and older adults and leucine metabolism.

Questions we answered in this episode: 

How did you originally become interested in muscle protein synthesis and protein intake? 

Based on your research what is the recommendation per meal? 

Muscle protein synthesis declines with age, resistance training and increased protein intake are both ways to compensate/improve that, what are your recommendations for workout and post meal timing? 

What is ideal daily dietary protein distribution?

At one point the recommendation was consume a ratio of 1:3 or 4 Carb: protein snack within about 30 minutes of a workout, what are your thoughts on that? (A lot of our listeners will remember "chocolate milk" commercials). 

Women in midlife often don't tolerate dairy - a large percent of the women I work with in fact - so although whey protein is often tested and is well-absorbed, what are your thoughts on alternate types of proteins if a woman is consuming a shake? 

What are your thoughts on collagen protein? 

What is the importance of Leucine, specifically? And the recommended amount to look for in a 30-gram protein serving? 

What are your thoughts on BCAA supplements for women in midlife, who are attempting but falling short on protein intake, or on specifically protein with adequate leucine (vegans and vegetarians)? Would this satisfy protein needs?

Discuss the benefit of exercise on muscle protein synthesis, and the difference between protein need for a sedentary/bed ridden 60-year old vs. an active (strength, intervals) 60-year old? 

With your research and a growing pool of others questioning/challenging the adequacy of RDAs for protein needs- as well as them not being user-friendly - why do RDAs still linger? What has to happen for the changes in recommendations to occur? 

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