Mar 26 2008
Protein will protect older women from muscle loss
Mar 26: A latest research has revealed the secrets of maintaining the health of older women. The findings of the research point out that older woman should include plenty of protein in their daily diet as their body finds difficult to replace the muscle loss as they grow age. The difference in the body metabolism of men and women is considered as the main reason for this. The research was conducted by the researchers of Nottingham and Washington. In total 29 men and women who are aged between 65 and 80 are considered for the study.
Women aged above 65 include protein rich diets that include meat and eggs and they also did resistance exercise. The researchers noticed that even after doing resistance exercise women did not put up muscles as their male counterparts did. It was found that the male body is able to store protein in the muscle than women. The scientists after study found that the female body lacks certain ability that male body have. This is due to the hormonal imbalance that happens after the menopause stage.
While commenting on the outcome of the research Michael Rennie, professor of clinical physiology at the University of Nottingham said: “Older people should include food that has high proportion of protein in it. Oestrogen that plays a key role in maintaining body mass and preserve muscle decline during this period is the main reason behind this. The finding of the research has a far reaching impact in maintaining health of people during their old age and there by reduce of the demands of the National Health Service.”
It was earlier found that from 50 years onwards people will start losing 0.4 per cent of muscle mass every year. Women are more vulnerable to the reduction in the muscle even in the early middle-age. Their body will have more fat and less muscle than men. This is the first research of its kind to focus on the mechanistic difference between men and women in muscle loss.
