High Protein Intake Maintains Muscle Mass in Middle-Aged Men

A high protein intake may be necessary to maintain muscle mass in middle-aged men.

A study published in the journal, Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism states that the current recommendations for protein intake in middle-aged men may not be enough to preserve their muscles.

Muscle mass tends to reduce as a person gets older, especially around the fourth or fifth decade of life. This is due to an imbalance between the rate of production and loss of muscle in middle and older age. This imbalance can be controlled to some extent by improving the protein content of food.

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The researchers found that eating a 6-ounce serving of 85% lean ground beef brought about a significant improvement in the synthesis of muscle protein, which is necessary to preserve muscles in middle-to-old age and prevent age-related loss. This amount is much more than that recommended by Canada's Food Guide. According to the researchers, the current recommended values only aim at preventing protein deficiency. The amount recommended by the researchers on the other hand helps to synthesize new muscle.

The study was conducted on 35 healthy men around the age of 59 years. Beef was used in the study since the essential amino acids found in beef were similar in proportion to that of human skeletal muscle.

If more studies support the claims of this research, it is possible that the recommendations for daily protein intake may need to be revised.

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