Recently, researchers from McGill University have found that older people who eat protein equally in the three daily meals have the greater muscle strength and muscle mass.
The finding suggests eating habits are important to build a strong body in older people.
Muscle loss is a natural result of aging. It can lead to frailty, falls and make it hard to do physical activities.
It is known that eating protein could help grow muscles. This is because muscles are composed of proteins, which consist of amino acids.
When people don’t eat enough protein, their body cannot do the synthesis correctly, which can lead to a loss of muscle mass.
In the current study, the team aimed to find the best way to eat protein for muscle growth.
They examined protein intake amount and distribution in people aged 67 and over.
Nearly 1,800 people were surveyed and followed for three years.
The team found that people who ate or drank protein in a balanced way during the day had more muscle strength than people who consumed more during the evening meal and less at breakfast.
The researchers suggest that if people add protein sources to breakfast and therefore have balanced protein intake through the day, they may gain greater muscle strength.
This may benefit many older people in the U.S. who consume their daily protein mainly in lunch and dinner.
Some good ways to add protein into breakfast include drinking yogurt, milk, soy milk, or eating eggs.
The lead author of the study is Dr. Stéphanie Chevalier. The first author of the study is Dr. Samaneh Farsijani.
The study is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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