Why are proteins so important in old age?

Series of articles: Proteins – building blocks of our life

We humans are getting older and older. Just a few decades ago, one was considered old in one’s mid-sixties, one was usually retired and lived a quiet, contemplative life. Today, most of us want to be active into old age, go travelling… in short, enjoy life. But what determines whether and to what extent we are fit and agile into old age? Proteins, the building blocks of our life, play an essential role here. Because it has now also been scientifically proven: Older people need more protein than previously thought. Seniors in particular should therefore pay attention to a good protein supply.

What happens during ageing?

Physical changes in old age

One basis of our life is cell division. It enables us to grow and causes our organs or injured tissue to regenerate again and again. With each cell division, the so-called telomeres, the ends of the chromosomes in the cell nucleus, become a little shorter. Once a critical minimum length is reached, the cells can no longer divide or they die. This process is one of the most important foundations of the extremely complex ageing process. By the way: An unconscious lifestyle with stress, an unhealthy diet, little exercise, and/or smoking can accelerate the shortening of the telomeres. Too much UV radiation, too little sunlight for the body’s own vitamin D formation, medicines or free radicals can also permanently damage our cells.

»You stay young as long as you can still learn,

adopt new habits and endure dissent.«

Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

The number of cells in many organs decreases noticeably over the years, which also affects their ability to function. The nerve cells in the brain or the immune cells also reduce with age and thus work more slowly. Ageing is also noticeable in our sensory organs and our musculoskeletal system: bone density decreases, the vertebrae change, cartilage tissue thins, ligaments and tendons lose elasticity, connective tissue slackens. Our skin becomes more elastic and thinner. Hair loses its colour pigments, becomes finer and sometimes falls out. In addition, there is the age-related loss of muscle mass, which usually begins from the age of 30.

The cause of diseases in old age

For a long time, the little aches and pains, but also diseases that come with age, were considered to be natural side effects of this ageing process. Today we know that most of these diseases are caused by malnutrition in the sense of an insufficient supply of nutrients. Especially a protein deficiency leads to far-reaching consequences for our health, particularly in advanced age.

But to reassure you, the good news is that it is in our own hands! Because if most age-related complaints and diseases are consequences of malnutrition, it is also possible to reverse this process through an appropriate supply of nutrients!

Malnutrition in old age

The causes of malnutrition in old age are manifold. Not only do our eating habits change over the years due to a different perception of chewing, taste and smell, a lower energy metabolism or a declining appetite, but the body’s own digestive and detoxification powers and thus the ability to utilise protein also decline more and more with increasing age. In addition, there are often illness-related problems such as difficulty swallowing, chronic pain, or loss of appetite and gastrointestinal complaints as side effects of medication.

As a result, we eat unbalanced or less in old age than in younger years. This easily leads to an undersupply of vital proteins, vitamins, minerals and trace elements, which reduces muscle mass and increasingly weakens the immune system. We become more susceptible to infections and other diseases.

Protein deficiency in old age

A protein deficiency in particular has devastating consequences in old age. Because without proteins, nothing works in our body. As the building blocks of our lives, proteins or amino acids are absolutely vital for our muscles, ligaments and bones, but also for our immune system and our entire metabolism. Sufficient protein intake is therefore of central importance in old age.

The following symptoms can indicate a protein deficiency in older people:

  • Reduction of body tissue or muscle mass (atrophy) with a simultaneous high proportion of body fat
  • Muscle weakness with increased risk of falling
  • Poor immune defence and delayed convalescence
  • Poorly healing wounds
  • Hair loss
  • Oedema (water retention in the tissues)
  • Weight loss without calorie reduction
  • General weakness
  • Reduction in organ mass and impairment of organ function
  • Reduction in performance

Prevent protein deficiency in old age

At first glance, the logical consequence would be a change in diet towards a diet rich in sugar and carbohydrates and instead rich in protein. However, we are convinced that most people will find it rather difficult to change their cherished eating habits at an advanced age. In addition, there are other reasons that, in our experience, are absolutely against suddenly eating more dietary protein at 60+:

Impaired kidney function in old age

A person in their 70s has only 30 per cent of their kidney function compared to their younger years. The kidneys also have less and less cell mass with advancing age. Accordingly, the volume and weight of the kidneys decrease, and with them, of course, their ability to excrete nitrogen waste. Even if older people were to completely change their diet and eat significantly more animal proteins in the form of meat, fish or poultry, the kidneys would not be able to digest the unaccustomed amounts of proteins or would simply be overwhelmed by the amount of nitrogen waste produced.

Declining digestive capacity in old age

Acidic stomach digestion in old age is similar to the decline in kidney function: pepsin digestion can be reduced by up to 60 percent in older people. The liver’s detoxification capacity, i.e. its ability to break down ammonia, also decreases. However, too high a blood ammonia level can have fatal consequences because of its cell-toxic effect. An elevated blood urea level can also cause further damage.

Older people therefore often unconsciously limit their protein consumption because they can no longer tolerate these foods due to the decreasing digestive capacity and the relatively increasing load of nitrogen waste. They feel that they are less well after a protein-rich meal. But this starts a vicious circle of lower protein utilisation and reduced protein intake. The lack of protein leads to a reduction or conversion of lean cell mass into fatty tissue, which progresses rapidly when lack of exercise is added.

So what to do? We have the solution: MyAMINO® the revolution in protein nutrition.

The healthy protein supply in old age

With MyAMINO® we have developed a protein product that is unique in the world, with which you can supply your body with a high proportion of highly pure amino acids and with almost no nitrogen loss (1%). It is therefore ideally suited for your protein supply into old age, without at the same time burdening the detoxification organs such as liver, kidneys and lymph.

Another advantage is that no digestive end products are produced in the intestines, which in turn helps to relieve the digestive system and consequently also the cardiovascular system. Thus, the body is not only relieved, but also perfectly supplied with high-quality amino acids and 0.1 Kcal. per MyAMINO® pressling after only 23 minutes of digestion time.

In combination with moderate and regular exercise, such as short walks or light exercises adapted to age and fitness level, you can effectively prevent muscle loss and even build muscle mass.

According to many of our customers, the increase in vitality and quality of life feels like a true fountain of youth. No wonder, because with MyAMINO® you are choosing – in contrast to fish, meat, eggs, soya or other protein sources – the protein product with the highest net usability worldwide.

Order MyAMINO® now!

You can find more vital products for the best years of your life here.

You might also be interested in this: Why are amino acids so important for our body?

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