As you get older, you may start to notice differences in your body. It’s common for seniors to experience a loss in muscle mass and other health complications that are associated with aging. If you begin to recognize such changes, increasing your protein intake can help. But what kind of protein is best for seniors, and is there a difference between proteins?

Protein isn’t a monolith. There are many kinds, but the best one for seniors is whey. Unlike other proteins, whey is very easy to digest. Seniors need protein to maintain muscle mass and energy levels as they age. Among its many benefits, whey protein has a high leucine content which can help seniors build muscle more easily. Increasing your whey protein intake with a healthy protein powder can lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, and more. It’s ideal for seniors who want to remain healthy and independent as they age.

ENU cares about helping seniors stay strong. Our protein powder is made with whey protein and has other nutrients supporting older adults’ wellness. For more information about why Pro3+ Nutritional Powder is ideal for seniors, visit our website today.

Why Do Seniors Need Protein?

As we age, it becomes more important to maintain a healthy diet. Seniors are vulnerable to sarcopenia, an age-related loss of muscle mass. Older adults may need more protein to combat that loss of muscle mass and maintain their strength.

Protein is essential in any diet, but is especially so for seniors. One of the three macronutrients, protein is primarily responsible for feeding your muscles. Although it has many other responsibilities, it’s most helpful to older adults because it strengthens and builds muscles.

It’s common for seniors to be less mobile as they age. Lack of exercise can lead to more progressive sarcopenia symptoms. When you don’t use your muscles enough, they can atrophy and reduce in size. Paired with an unhealthy diet, you may begin to grow weaker.

Because of these reasons, older adults often need to eat a high-protein diet. Learning how to accomplish that can help you maintain your strength as you age.

What Is the Best Kind of Protein for Seniors?

While seniors need protein, not all kinds of protein will be as effective in treating sarcopenia or malnutrition. The best kind of protein for seniors is whey. Other proteins don’t have the same nutritional profile or specific amino acids that make whey protein ideal for older adults.

Whey protein is good for everyone, but especially seniors. Losing muscle mass is common in older adults, but it can be delayed when supplementing nutrition with the right protein. Whey is easily digestible, making it accessible to all seniors, regardless of health issues. It’s not heavy on the stomach and can be quickly absorbed.

Older adults need to use whey protein to combat age-related muscle loss for one main reason: its leucine content. Whey protein has the highest concentration of leucine, at 10%. That’s why our Pro3+ Nutritional Powder is made with 100% hydrolyzed whey protein, making it optimal for seniors. Leucine is one of the nine essential amino acids responsible for protein synthesis. That’s the process of how protein is broken down and redistributed to specific areas of the body, like your muscles.

Protein synthesis is impossible without amino acids like leucine. It’s also a crucial bodily process that seniors experiencing muscle loss need to intentionally maintain. Otherwise, protein synthesis rates will naturally reduce as you get older. Leucine not only promotes protein synthesis but it repairs muscles more quickly. Our muscles can become more prone to tearing from light movement as we age. The leucine in whey protein quickly repairs and strengthens muscles.

Other Benefits of Whey Protein for Seniors

Although whey protein is best for seniors because it delays and prevents muscle loss, it also has other benefits. Whey has a high nutritional value and can address numerous health problems older adults commonly experience. Whey protein can also:

• Reduce inflammation
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower cholesterol
• Boost immune response

It’s common for seniors to experience chronic inflammation in certain areas of their bodies from various health issues. The whey protein in Pro3+ Nutritional Powder can help reduce inflammation and ease some pain in seniors. When inflammation reduces, you can more easily move and exercise. That improves your ability to maintain muscle mass.

Whey protein is also capable of lowering blood pressure. High blood pressure can result from decades of unhealthy eating or other health complications. Older adults may find that their blood pressure lowers when eating a high-whey protein diet.

The same can be said for cholesterol. Whey protein can lower bad cholesterol in the body, reducing seniors’ risk of heart disease or stroke.

A strengthened immune system is important for older adults. Because whey protein has a high concentration of essential amino acids, it contains antioxidants. These antioxidants, from the amino acids cysteine and methionine, can help boost seniors’ immune systems, preventing illness. Older adults need to maintain their health and these added benefits of whey protein make doing so much easier.

How Can Seniors Add Protein Into their Diets?

Reconfiguring their diet to include additional protein can be difficult for seniors. Maybe your favorite foods or daily meals aren’t usually high in protein. So, what should an older adult do if they want the benefits of whey protein without the hassle of changing their diet? They should try nutritious protein powders.

Some protein powders are chalky and difficult for older adults to metabolize. Pro3+ Nutritional Powder is formulated with seniors in mind to be easily digestible. That’s why our protein powder is made with whey protein and has four added grams of medium-chain triglycerides to promote fast absorption.

Protein powders for older adults should be simple to incorporate into diets. To appeal to seniors, Pro3+ is super soluble and tasteless, so it won’t interfere with the taste of your favorite foods. To garner the benefits of this powerful protein substance, seniors can easily add a few scoops of our whey protein powder to their meals and drinks throughout the day.

Before adding protein powder into your diet, it’s important to speak with a medical professional. Your doctor can advise you on the best kind of protein for seniors and how to incorporate it into your diet.

Seniors Can Try Pro3+ Nutritional Powder

Older adults can benefit from adding whey protein into their diet in more ways than one. To purchase Pro3+ Nutritional Powder if you’re a senior who needs added nutrition, visit our website today.