Protein nutrition is the cause of decrepitude and early old age. Proper nutrition will give health to the elderly Protein for the elderly

03.12.2021Heading: masonry

In our society, it is customary to consider illness and poor health in the elderly. Fortunately, medicine has confidently refuted this stereotype. In old age, you can and should be healthy, and proper nutrition will play one of the main roles in this.

Official medicine has long recognized that the calendar age (in the passport) can differ significantly from the biological age. In other words, the actual state of systems and organs in 60 calendar years corresponds to 40 years. And vice versa, more and more often there are people whose body is already worn out by the age of 30 and corresponds to a 40-50 year old person.

What wears out our organs and cells, disrupts their proper functioning? In addition to mechanical damage (injuries), every day the body is forced to work "for wear", struggling with stress and poisoning.

Stress mobilizes a lot of systems, makes muscles contract, changes hormonal levels. Excessively tense skeletal muscles disrupt normal blood flow, worsen posture.
This leads to constant pain in the spine, especially in the lumbar region and neck. And the changed hormonal background affects all the exchanges in the body.

Poisoning has become commonplace and the norm of life. If we are aware of the presence of stress and try to deal with it, then the majority does not take poisoning into account. Nature has created the human body to be almost perfect and it has many mechanisms to minimize the effects of poisoning. But any resources are not unlimited, and if the body is not helped, then it wears out much faster than nature intended.

Let us explain why we are subject to poisoning every day. Only 2 factors: we inhale poisoned air and eat poisons. If you stop eating poisons and help the systems a little to clear the toxic substances in the air, then you will remove a terrible load from the body. There will be healing and renewal of all cells, tissues, organs. The lightness and health of youth will return.

Perhaps you were indignant after reading the previous paragraph: “I don’t eat any poisons!”.

Let us explain, in addition to the huge number of additives that are used in modern food production, absolutely any substance eaten in excess of the body's need for this substance is a poison for the body. With small excesses, partial elimination or “storage for the future” is possible, but with a systematic excess of a number of substances, the body can no longer cope, and various diseases are acquired.

So, what, how and how much you need to eat in old age to protect the body from food poisoning and help it cope with stress and air poisoning? Or in other words, how to help yourself rejuvenate and restore health? Let's talk briefly about the basic and very simple rules.

Rules for proper nutrition of people in old age

Let us immediately clarify that these rules apply to practically healthy people. A list of diseases that require special dietary adjustments is given on the main page of the Therapeutic Nutrition section.

It is not allowed to exceed the total caloric content of the food eaten relative to daily energy consumption.

Of course, there are people who, even after reaching 60 and even 80 years of age, lead an extremely active lifestyle. But, as a rule, activity decreases over the years, the rate of metabolic processes also decreases, as a result of which the need for calories is reduced.

Studies have shown that on average a person aged 60-70 needs 20% less energy than a 30-year-old, and 30% less at the age of 71-80. If you do not take this fact into account and eat in the usual way for many years, then the development of obesity, atherosclerosis, hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, cholelithiasis and urolithiasis, gout and many other diseases is inevitable.

Very roughly about the energy needs of older people, we can say that after 60 years, men need about 2300 kcal per day, and women 2100 kcal per day, after 75 years, men and women need 2000 kcal and 1900 kcal per day, respectively. Once again, we emphasize that these norms are indicative and cannot be followed without taking into account individual characteristics. They are designed for people with a standard figure and not having excess fat. In fact, ¾ of the population over 60 years of age are overweight, and therefore one should strive for calorie intake below the average daily energy expenditure. But this is already the topic of other articles that are posted in the "How to lose weight" section.

Protein intake in strict accordance with the physiological norm.

With age, the rate of cell renewal decreases, so less protein is needed. The average daily intake in proteins for men and women over 60 years old is 70 g and 65 g, respectively, and for people over 75 years old - 60 g and 57 g.

It must be remembered that proteins in different foods are not equivalent. The differences are described in detail in the article “Amino acid composition of proteins”. Therefore, the diet is made so that at least 50% of the proteins are obtained from animal products. It is best if these are proteins of dairy and fish products. Meat in old age is desirable to consume not much, because. it contains a number of substances undesirable for the body. For example, refractory fats and cholesterol.

Careful attention to fat intake.

According to the effect on the body, fats can be divided into extremely harmful and useful.

The harmful ones are refractory animal fats found in meat and meat products.

Milk fat are useful, because contain lecithin and fat-soluble vitamins. It is advisable to make a diet so that this type of fat accounts for about 1/3.

Vegetable oils are an important part of the diet at any age, but for older people their use is of particular importance. Sunflower, linseed, corn and other vegetable oils contain polyunsaturated fatty acids - linoleic, linolenic, arachidonic. These acids increase the elasticity of blood vessels, reduce the permeability of the vascular wall. But the most significant thing is that they normalize the cholesterol content in the blood that is so often overestimated in the elderly. Namely, they accelerate the conversion of cholesterol in the liver into bile acids and contribute to its excretion.
It is also important that polyunsaturated fatty acids have a stimulating effect on the intestines. This will help to cleanse the body in a timely manner, give a feeling of lightness.
When heated and refined, the amount of useful acids, vitamin E, phosphagides and sitosterol in vegetable oils decreases, so it is better to use unrefined oil in salads, it is possible to add it to cereals and other ready meals.

Despite the benefits of vegetable oils, they must be consumed in strict accordance with the norm, which is 20-25 g per day, or 1/3 of the total amount of fat consumed. A larger amount, in addition to the inevitable increase in the calorie content of the diet, can lead to the accumulation of oxidation products of unsaturated fatty acids.

Careful attention to carbohydrate intake.

Use vitamins and minerals in strict accordance with personal standards.

After 60 years, the body's needs for macro- and microelements change quite significantly.

Consumption calcium it is recommended to reduce to 800 mg per day. When consuming more calcium salts, they can be deposited in various organs and tissues. So many suffer from Menckeberg's arteriosclerosis. This is a form of arterial damage in which calcium salts are deposited on the walls and interfere with normal blood flow.
At the same time, calcium deficiency leads to osteoporosis. In this disease, the body compensates for the lack of calcium by taking it from the bones, which makes the bones brittle and leads to fractures.

Amount consumed magnesium in old age, it is recommended to increase, because. this macronutrient

helps relieve spasms and relax the muscles of internal organs;
stimulates the work of the intestines;
increases bile secretion;
helps improve cholesterol metabolism.

The recommended intake of magnesium after 60 years is 500-600 mg per day.

Consumption sodium should also be reduced with age, especially in the composition of salt (salty foods, smoked meats and sodium chloride). If blood pressure is often elevated, then sodium intake is sharply reduced. But we will not talk about this in detail, because. A separate article is devoted to the issue of nutrition in hypertension.

Norm gland cannot be defined equally for all people, because there are a number of conditions that significantly change the required amount. On average, it is in the range of 10 to 15 mg per day.
If there are no disorders in the digestive system and iron deficiency anemia is not diagnosed, then 10 mg of iron per day is enough. If there are any disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, or the efficiency of iron incorporation into red blood cells is reduced, then iron intake is increased to 15 mg per day.

Unlike minerals, the need for vitamins practically does not change with age.

The diet is enriched with foods that contain anti-sclerotic agents.

Atherosclerosis occurs due to the deposition of cholesterol in the walls of blood vessels. Often it leads to the development of coronary heart disease. After 60 years, the prevention of these conditions should be given special attention.

About the need to use vegetable oils has already been said above. We emphasize once again that polyunsaturated fatty acids and lecithin, which are found in vegetable oils, trigger a whole mechanism that helps to remove excess cholesterol from the body, which means they help your blood vessels stay healthy.

Daily consumption is essential to maintain health. vegetables and unsweetened fruits. They help in three ways:

contain fiber, which increases the speed of movement of food through the intestines, thereby helping to cleanse the intestines in a timely manner and remove cholesterol (in the form of coprosterol) with feces;
contain pectin, various sterols that interfere with the absorption of eaten cholesterol in the intestine;
increase the secretion of bile, which also helps to remove cholesterol.

Legumes, oatmeal, herring and cottage cheese have an anti-sclerotic effect due to the content choline (vitamin B4). Choline is needed by the body for the synthesis of lecithin. It has already been written about above, but it is worth emphasizing once again that the use of lecithin is in the ability to form special compounds with cholesterol - hydrophilic lipoprotein complexes. In the form of such compounds, cholesterol cannot be deposited on the walls of blood vessels and is easily removed from the blood.

Also, anti-sclerotic products include products containing the amino acid methionine. Its effect on the human body is very similar to the choline described above. Most methionine is contained (mg per 100 g of product):

most of the cereals
buckwheat - 320,
millet - 296,
in other cereals at the level of 120-200;

of the most commonly consumed fish and seafood, most of all in
carpe - 500,
ice fish - 620,
lemonme - 620,
pollock - 600,
marble notothenia - 574,
sea perch - 500,
bonito - 806,
haddock - 530,
blue whiting - 579,
herring - 537,
sardine - 779,
mackerel - 600,
horse mackerel - 577,
zander - 534,
cod - 500,
hake - 510,
pike - 534,
squid - 492,
fresh shrimp - 545,
frozen-boiled Antarctic shrimp - 651;
in meat products and poultry meat, the content of methionine is
in beef - 445-515,
in veal - 414-453,
in lamb - 356-453,
rabbit meat - 499,
in pork - 342-410,
in turkey - 497-518,
in chickens - 471-574,
in duck - 370-447;
in eggs – 424;
in dairy products most of all in
cottage cheese - 384-480,
cheeses - 540-780,
in milk, cream, kefir about 70.

Create the most balanced diet will help variety in the choice of products.

At any age, but especially in children and the elderly, it is important to have all the necessary substances in the diet. By eating a varied diet, you are most likely to get everything you need to stay healthy.
The Calorie and Vital Substances Calculator considers 26 basic parameters of the diet, but you need to remember that the human body needs about 120-150 different substances to function properly. Only the most diverse diet guarantees the satisfaction of the needs of each of them.

Strive to comply power mode.

At any age, you should follow 2 simple rules:

eating at the same time with the exception of long breaks;
a small amount of food at one meal.

These rules protect all organs and systems from overload and contribute to maintaining health. It should be remembered that in old age, even a healthy and normally functioning organ is very difficult to endure heavy loads.

A 4-meal diet is recommended. The bulk of the food should be eaten in the morning. According to the energy value, the distribution is as follows:
1st breakfast - 25%,
2nd breakfast - 15-20%,
lunch - 30-35%,
dinner - 20-25%.

It is possible and even in many cases it is highly desirable to use one glass of some low-fat fermented milk product at night. For example, kefir.

Over the age of 75 or with various diseases five meals a day are recommended with the following calorie distribution for meals:
1st breakfast - 25%,
2nd breakfast - 15%,
lunch - 30%,
dinner - 20%,
2nd dinner - 10%.

Preference should be given foods that are easy to digest and absorb.

For example, milk fat and protein are easily digestible. And it takes up to 8 hours to digest meat. Therefore, if you have a choice, it is better to eat cottage cheese, not chop.

Required if necessary individual nutrition adjustment depending on the state of the body as a whole, the rate of metabolic processes, the risk of developing diseases.

The article is based on the materials of the following authors:
prof. B.L. Smolyansky, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Head of the Department of Hygiene and Clinical Dietetics of the Dnepropetrovsk Medical Institute;
prof. Zh.I. Abramova, doctor of medical sciences.

You won't believe it, but it's us again. Hey!

This Friday we will continue our broadcast on the topic "Muscles and Age". And today we will find out how to eat right when training people in the category “I am for 40 ". After reading, you will learn which foods are the most important for age athletes and why, as well as get acquainted with the list of must have sports supplements in your diet.

So, take your seats in the auditorium, let's start to annoy :).

Muscles and age. What should 40-year-olds know about themselves?

Who would have thought that last Friday, 27 October, the AB project on the eve of its anniversary will record a new record in the piggy bank. What do you think? Okay, I won't bore you. Since its inception, we have not had a single note that would cause such a stir in the comments immediately after its publication! Now we have acquired one, and it is called]. 60 comments (including answers) for two days this, I tell you, my dear, is strong! Until now, we did not assume that this topic is so acute. Well, since it turned out, and we have a genuine lively interest, then we have good news: we will continue to disclose age issues. And instead of the previously announced 2nd parts, release 3 . Moreover, if the activity in this and subsequent articles is also high, then we will not stop and will delight you with posts on this topic. for the rest of my life long enough.

Note:
For better assimilation of the material, all further narration will be divided into subchapters.

What happens to the body after 40? What to expect?

In the first part, we got acquainted with such a phenomenon as sarcopenia - a natural loss of muscle tissue caused by age-related changes in the body. However, these are far from all the “nishtyaks” that will happen to you. In general, the full list of age-related changes is as follows:

neurological changes in, worsening feedback;
the appearance of a tremor (involuntary muscle twitches) after the exercise / the end of the entire workout;
nervous tic - spontaneous pulsation of some area;
decreased ability to synthesize protein;
decrease in levels, and insulin;
reduced enzyme production (digestive enzymes);
decreased calorie expenditure at rest (1 kcal/minute in adulthood vs. 1,5-2 at young);
deterioration of reflex functions;
decreased coordination and concentration;
influence of weather on well-being/pressure ( occurrence of weather dependence);
hair loss, dullness and breakage (relevant for women);
bone loss and decreased height;
decreased sperm activity, erection problems;
worsening sleep;
low energy background.

This is not the most complete list of age-related changes, but even from it the hair can stand on end :).

All of the above are natural processes, i.e. those who "threaten" every person who crossed the line " 40+ ". To resist them, slow down the processes and smooth out, as far as possible, their consequences, you should pay special attention to your diet and physical activity.

Note:

It is believed that after 40 , if you have never heard of proper nutrition and have not lifted anything heavier than a stapler, it is already “too late to rush about”. Actually it is not. With age, different organisms react differently to changes in nutrition/connection of training: someone tightens the figure faster/improves well-being, someone slower. There is only one indisputable fact - the dynamics are positive, and anyone who “connects” to a healthy lifestyle can get access to it.

40 years - a new era in fitness? Research results

For those of you who live by the principle of “trust but verify”, the following information will come in handy.

Researchers from Saint Mary's University, Twickenham (USA) selected 40 men aged over 40 years and decided to find out if regimen training and diet can quickly and qualitatively change their physique and improve their well-being.

The results exceeded the wildest expectations. All participants in the experiment showed good results in changing body composition: they lost fat mass and increased the percentage of muscle.

The researchers hypothesized that 40 years - the border line, when a man (and apparently a woman) still able to change its constitution fairly quickly. Conventionally, scientists called this age “a new era in fitness”.

The torpedo stands and does not fall!

Information marked “ 18+ ". I believe this article is read by older readers, so it is most likely not relevant.

“I want to, but I can’t” is a characteristic that probably no man wants to meet. However, after 40 with office-sedentary work and nutrition, “my wife cooks delicious food” is the reality of every representative of the stronger sex who leads a similar lifestyle.

Let's be honest: love statistics say that Russian men are very mediocre lovers, and we are talking about the age before 30 . After 40 the situation can be described as “she doesn’t want, but I don’t need to.” Indeed, remember your everyday life: after serving 8 hours at the PC in the office, and then drove off 30-60 minutes by car to the house, upon arrival, did you want to please your wife?

Don't remember? And this is bad news. The good thing is that power training and cardio unclog blood vessels, relieve congestion, increase testosterone production and increase libido / desire.

Performing certain exercises, in particular:

...blood in the pelvis (an interesting expression turned out :)) begins to actively circulate, flow to the genitals. And a man very often experiences an erectile rise after a workout. All he needs is to bring this state home and “put it out” there.

Note:
men for 40 , who visit the gym, for the most part, still belong to the “want and can” category, but their non-hall counterparts are increasingly striving to fall into the “just want” category.

Actually, it was an introduction, so to speak, constructive information that all is not lost :). Next, we dive into nutritional questions.

It's in 20-25 years, it was possible to relate to their diet with relative coolness. Now sacredly honor such rules.

No. 1. Payback for every treat

Every 10 years your metabolic rate drops by 2,5-5% . Therefore, with age, it is more difficult to control the quality of the physique. It is especially difficult to lose fat mass. It is typed for one or two, and it is reset extremely long and problematic.

rule: each sweet should be worked out by calorie consumption. Moreover, the later you ate it during the day and the larger the serving, the longer the cardio or strength training should be.

Note:
Chitmil is a fasting day for nutrition. Let's say two meals before 15-00 once a week.

No. 2. Different distribution of food throughout the day

Eat more during the morning and afternoon when you are moving, exercising and working, and less in the evening (after 18-00) .

rule: before 17-00 You should spend most of your meals. For example, if there are six of them, then 4-5 of which must fall before 17-00 .

No. 3. less salt

When does a person eat the most salt? That's right, winter. Pickles, cucumbers, sauerkraut, lard - this is what the aging body especially requires in the winter cold. Despite the low calorie content (lard exception) taking these products will "give" you a big problem - water retention inside the body and swelling.

rule: in winter, give preference to “home-made” native Russian products. In this case, do not add salt to the rest of the contents of the plate ( proteins - for example, breast; carbohydrates (e.g. buckwheat).

No. 4. More calcium

Decrease in bone mineral density - loss of bone mass, one of the most characteristic manifestations for the age limit 40+ . Bones become more fragile, and with a constant load in the gym, they exhaust their resources faster, so your diet should be completed with foods containing calcium.

rule: cottage cheese, milk, as well as hard and processed cheeses, sesame, hazelnuts, leafy and green cabbage - these are your bone strengtheners.

No. 5. Special Sports Supplements

After 40 sports nutrition should become a mandatory component of any student. The principle of “thrifty student” at this age can play with you not a cruel, but a joke.

Rule: be prepared to spend money on certain sports nutrition (the list will be given in the final part of the article).

Now let's find out about...

Top 10 products for people of age, or how to stop time

One of the readers in the first part of the note noted in a comment that “... I want to stay young, healthy and attractive for a long time.” Who said that in 40 years a woman should only live the life of her children and walk the dog? :). But how to give your beauty to yourself / others?

The following products will help you in your quest to “plug” your age. So, here they are.

No. 1. tomatoes

Large and red tomatoes are high in lycopene, an antioxidant that protects cells from aging and makes you look fresher.

Note:
Research has shown that the use 150 ml tomato juice after 20 minutes of exercise provides protection against heart disease and cancer of the prostate, lung, and stomach.

No. 2. cucumbers

Cucumber is a vegetable №1 for the formation of elastic/moisturized skin. High levels of silica help maintain connective tissue health.

No. 3. Radish

Low-calorie, relatively high-fiber detoxifier - body cleanser.

No. 4. Mackerel

Oily fish, omega 3 fatty acids which help lower cholesterol, protect against heart disease, reduce pain in the joints.

No. 5. chickpeas

Legumes are low in fat and high in protein and help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. High in iron and molybdenum, a mineral that helps detoxify sulfites in processed foods/wine.

No. 6. Quinoa

Gluten free plant source of protein. Contains all the essential amino acids as well as relatively high levels of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

No. 7. Avocado

Contains 25 vital nutrients and antioxidants, including five anti-inflammatory agents, making it an excellent “anti-aging agent.” During the week, eat from 3 before 5 things.

No. 8. Kiwi

A low-sugar fruit with adequate levels of vitamins C and E, as well as potassium, magnesium and fiber.

No. 9. Garnet

A low-calorie fruit that contains a whole arsenal of vitamins, micro and macro elements. Pomegranate increases hemoglobin (useful for anemia), normalizes blood pressure and is a “sponge” that absorbs free radicals.

No. 10. Horseradish

It is especially valuable in combination with jelly / aspic. It is in this combination that it “works” as efficiently as possible: it promotes the regeneration of cartilage tissue and has pronounced choleretic and diuretic properties.

Assembled grocery basket (including what should definitely be added to the diet) for people for 40 looks like that.

Now let's go through sports supplements.

Sports nutrition for fitness over 40

Default option in age category " 40+" for workers in gym- sports nutrition. I'm sure no explanation is needed here. But where they will be required is in the spectrum of additional support.

So, you should have such products at hand.

No. 1. Amino acids BCAA

Direct and fast (because they are metabolized in the muscles) building material for muscles. After training, muscle tissue is the most "hungry", and the best food for it are branched chain amino acids.

When and how to take: after training in the evening and in the morning, or only after (if in the afternoon) training. The dosage depends on the form of the drug, recommendations for the amount are indicated on the product itself.

The need for admission: 100% must have.

No. 2. Glutamine

A conditionally essential amino acid that speeds up post-workout recovery. If you are exercising 4-6 once a week, then it should take an honorable second place (after BCA) in your “farm kit”.

When and how to take: Right after workout and before bed 2-4 gr at one time.

The need for admission: optional, according to the situation - if the number of workouts per week is from 4 and higher.

No. 3. Arginine

A nitrogen donator that plays an important role in the division of muscle cells and the healing of microtraumas of damaged fibers. Improves male potency, enhances erection.

When and how to take: before / after training, at night 2-4 gr at one time.

The need for admission: optional, according to the situation - if you are concerned about high blood pressure, you need to increase the secretion of growth hormone (for example, if your goal is a set of m.m.).

No. 4. Chondroprotectors

Health of joints and ligaments in the age category of trainees “ 40+ ” is an important component of longevity in life and sports. Chondroprotectors ensure the health of joints and ligaments, promote their mobility, reduce the risk of developing cracks, and make bones strong.

What to take: conditionally-any drugs labeled “Glucosamine Chondroitin” (e.g. Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM), incl. from a pharmacy, for example, Complivit Chondro from Pharmstandard.

When and how to take: after a meal / with food according to the manufacturer's instructions on the back.

The need for admission: 100% must have.

No. 5. Digestive Enzymes

Enzymes involved in the breakdown of BJU. Help the athlete to get the benefits of food faster and more efficiently.

What to take: panzinorm forte or pancreatin

The need for admission: optional, according to the situation - if there are problems with the gastrointestinal tract when digesting food; if you and you find it difficult to force yourself to eat abundantly.

In assembled form, all supporting pharmaceutical products in the category “fitness 40+ ” is such a picture.

Actually, it's all about nutrition. Now you know what foods and sports supplements should be included in your diet, if you suddenly, accidentally or intentionally :), were brought into the category “in the prime of life”.

Afterword

2000 words - this is how we worked out your commentary activity in the first part of the article “Muscles and Age”. Today they revealed rational questions and explained how competently one should approach the organization of one's nutrition. The next issue will be devoted to training issues. How are you? Per?

PS: hard for you after 40 watch your diet?

PPS: did the project help? Then leave a link to it in the status of your social network - plus 100 Karma points guaranteed :)

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.

As we age, our physical and mental performance begins to decline, but some of the right supplements can help reduce the symptoms and risks of these conditions.

The physiological changes that occur in the body bring with them many negative consequences. Bones become more fragile, joint pain and stiffness appear, reaction time slows down, cognitive function decreases and the risk of heart disease increases. Over the years, we even slightly decrease in height, due to the compression of the vertebral discs.

The degree of these changes largely depends on what kind of lifestyle you led at a younger age, how you ate, whether you played sports.

However, resistance training and a few well-chosen nutritional supplements can slow down some of the “physiological declines” associated with aging.

It is also important that some supplements can improve cognitive function, reducing the risk of dementia and improve memory. Improving your physical and mental health will help you become more active and independent of outside help, improve the quality of everyday life.

No pill or powder can completely slow down the aging process or replace a properly balanced diet and a good, consistent exercise program, but the nutritional supplements listed below can help you stay in peak shape for a long time to come.

Supplements for maintaining muscle mass.

Do not confuse muscle maintenance with muscle maintenance in bodybuilding. It may not seem like muscle mass is something to look at, but muscle loss is linked to a surprising number of problems in older adults. Generalized muscle wasting or wasting, a condition known as sarcopenia, is considered to be one of the main causes of disability, many diseases, and reduced quality of life in the elderly.

Luckily, some of the most effective muscle supplements are also among the most researched and easy to find on the market.

Creatine monohydrate.

This supplement is essential for the elderly. When combined with appropriate exercise, creatine can have a profound effect on muscle strength, body fat regulation, and functional performance.

What's more, preliminary evidence suggests that creatine increases bone mineral content when combined with exercise.

For bone and muscle strength and strength, take 5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily. And to increase the effectiveness of creatine, try taking it along with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), as it has been shown to have an additive effect (cumulative effect) on muscle endurance, strength and body composition.

Whey Protein / Leucine

Protein intake leads to an increase in muscle mass and strength, especially if a person is physically active. Currently, protein recommendations for older adults range between 0.8-1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. However, this number may need to be increased for those who are particularly weak or injured.

Although this daily recommended intake is lower than for other age groups, many older people need more protein to maintain muscle mass. Combining exercise with whey protein has been shown to increase muscle mass in older people. Many of these people who don't want to take pills enjoy protein shakes because they treat them like a treat and use a wide variety of protein flavors.

Because older people have a reduced ability to synthesize protein, supplementing with leucine can be quite beneficial. There are several studies suggesting that leucine supplementation can normalize or even increase protein synthesis in older adults.

Drink two shakes a day with 25-30 grams of whey protein and add 4-6 grams of leucine to one of the shakes to stimulate protein synthesis.

Supplements for bone and joint strength.

Bone strength decreases with age, reducing body stability and increasing the risk of falls or accidents. Add to that the fact that unhealthy bones can be incredibly brittle and this is nothing short of a perfect recipe for a fracture. Overall health is also reduced, causing stiffness, pain, and decreased range of motion in the joints.

Exercising and maintaining a healthy body weight are the best things you can do for your skeleton, but there are also several supplements that can improve bone and joint health.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D aids calcium absorption and is essential for strong and healthy bones. Unfortunately, older people are deficient in vitamin D as a result of lower exposure to sunlight and a reduced ability to make and absorb vitamin D. This deficiency contributes to the risk of breaking bones when falling. Fortunately, a little vitamin D supplementation can have a beneficial effect on skeletal strength.

Vitamin D supplementation has also been shown to improve reaction time and body function, which may help reduce the risk of accidents and injuries. Improved neuromuscular function not only means less chance of losing balance and consequent falls, but also an overall improvement in health for older adults.

Calcium

Calcium is an essential mineral and is found in your bones and teeth. As a person ages, they begin to experience calcium deficiency in bone tissue, which in turn increases the risk of osteoporosis and makes your bones brittle and more prone to fracture. That's why calcium supplements are so important!

Physical activities such as walking and weight training help keep bones strong, but calcium supplementation enhances this effect and makes bones healthier and stronger. Calcium intake may also help slow bone loss in postmenopausal women, who are most at risk for osteoporosis.

When choosing a calcium supplement, look for calcium carbonate, which has more calcium than calcium citrate. A supplement should be considered for anyone with poor calcium absorption or for people who have trouble following a balanced diet.

Glucosamine sulfate

Glucosamine is a substance that is naturally produced by the body; it helps in the formation of synovial fluid, which washes and softens the friction of the joint surface. As we get older we tend to lose some of this protective fluid as well as the cartilage that causes our bones to rub against each other! Osteoarthritis or cartilage wear and tear affects millions of people around the world and can make any physical activity very painful.

Long-term use of glucosamine as a supplement helps reduce joint pain, build joint stiffness, and maintain cartilage.

The action of glucosamine sulfate is to protect cartilage, not repair it, so a supplement should be used long-term for prevention rather than treatment of joint pain. In other words, don't wait until you have serious joint problems, start taking glucosamine, the sooner the better.

Try this shake for optimal bone and joint health: 1,500 milligrams of glucosamine sulfate, 1,000 milligrams of calcium, and 0.025 milligrams of vitamin D. Take once a day.

Supplements for heart health.

Cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for approximately 20% of all deaths each year. This prompted scientists and doctors to search for biologically active antioxidants - substances that reduce oxidation and the formation of free radicals for the prevention and treatment of heart disease.

Some diseases associated with the heart do not have noticeable symptoms until a person's condition becomes an emergency, so maintaining and preventing cardiovascular health is critical, especially in the elderly.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

CoQ10 is one of the most important antioxidants. Its levels in the body decline with age, so taking coenzyme supplements can help prevent the onset of heart disease. Although more research is needed in this area, taking 100-200 milligrams of CoQ10 per day can offset the natural decline in the body's levels of the coenzyme and support a healthy heart.

Green tea

Green tea is full of compounds with antioxidant activity. Its consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, and regular consumption of green tea, defined as three or more cups daily, has the potential to reduce the risk of heart attack.

How does green tea support heart health? The powerful antioxidant properties of the polyphenols found in green tea reduce the amount of free radicals in cells and prevent the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and inhibit the formation of plaque on the walls of blood vessels.

If you don't want to drink three or more cups green tea per day, you can replace this with 300-400 milligrams of green tea extract dietary supplement to get the same effect.

Supplements to improve brain function.

One of the most worrying aspects of aging is the potential for cognitive decline. Poor memory, decreased intelligence, deterioration in the perception of information from the external environment, reduced attention and concentration - this is not only inconvenient, it prevents an elderly person from living independently as before at a younger age.

However, studies have shown that certain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory supplements may reduce the risk of developing cognitive impairment.

Omega-3 fatty acids

We usually consume omega-3s because their action benefits the entire body as a whole. But it can also have beneficial effects on memory and cognitive function. In fact, fish oil intake is associated with a reduced risk of dementia and more general brain health. This is especially true for people who don't consume a lot of omega-3s in their diet.

You can get omega-3s directly from your diet by eating at least two servings of oily fish per week (such as halibut, salmon, or tuna).

On the other hand, you may find it easier to take fish oil as a supplement at 2 grams (2,000 milligrams) each day with the most high levels EPA and DHA.

Creatine

You already know that taking creatine helps maintain muscle mass, but did you know that it can also improve brain function? British scientists have conducted research into the possible cognitive benefits of creatine supplementation in the elderly.

It reported that taking 20 grams of creatine per day for a week improved performance on short-term and long-term memory tasks compared to placebo.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E serves as a powerful antioxidant in the body, and low levels are associated with a higher risk of cognitive decline, memory loss, and neurological disorders. Thus, vitamin E intake is important for maintaining healthy brain function and reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

The daily dosage of vitamin E intake is 15 milligrams per day. In older people who eat a nutrient-dense diet, a vitamin E supplement can help keep good memory in tip-top shape.

Our diet should contain all the necessary nutrients: proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Only then can it be complete and right.

In this article, we will once again talk about the importance of proteins in nutrition and find out which foods satisfy the body's need for them.

Why is protein needed?

Proteins are the most valuable component of food. In the human body, they perform a variety of biological functions - regulatory (regulate many physiological processes), building (participate in the formation of cell membranes and cell organelles), protective (support immunity), transport (carry hormones, sugars and other substances), energy (serve as one from energy sources), etc.

In the gastrointestinal tract, proteins that come with food are broken down into amino acids - a kind of "bricks" necessary to create new proteins in the body.

There are 22 amino acids in the composition of animal and vegetable proteins, of which 9 are essential, the rest are non-essential. Essential acids differ from non-essential ones in that they cannot be synthesized in the body. Deficiency of essential amino acids leads to inhibition of protein synthesis in the body, to a failure in the process of cell renewal.

The main source of essential amino acids are animal proteins found in meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Non-essential amino acids predominate in plant proteins (cereals, legumes, vegetables, fruits). Consequently, all plant foods are deficient in the composition of essential amino acids. So, all cereals (cereals, bakery products) are deficient in lysine and threonine; legumes, all vegetables, fruits - for methionine and cysteine. Therefore, if for breakfast we eat porridge paired with water, we lose two essential amino acids at once - lysine and threonine. Ideally, in order for new proteins to form in the body, at each meal the body must receive the entire set of essential amino acids, that is, the dish must be balanced in amino acid composition.

To make porridge cooked on iodine a full-fledged protein product, it must be seasoned with milk, as was always done in Russia. In Moldova, hominy - porridge made from corn flour - is seasoned with pieces of cheese, in Georgia, porridge is eaten with suluguni cheese.

The combination of meat or fish with potatoes, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates is found in the dishes of many countries. From the point of view of a balanced diet, this combination is acceptable, but with one condition: the meat should not be fatty, since the combination of fat and carbohydrates is the main cause of excess weight. If you are overweight, the best side dish for meat and fish will be starch-free vegetables and greens. But with reduced weight, which is often observed in older people, you can safely combine boiled or stewed meat and fish, meat and fish cutlets with potatoes, pasta, cereals.

Older people also need meat products because meat contains a lot of bioavailable iron. And that is prevention. iron deficiency anemia, which is often found in the elderly due to age-related changes in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to impaired absorption of iron. It is known that iron is absorbed by the body only from animal meat, it is practically not absorbed from plants and cereals. In terms of iron content, rabbit meat is the leader - 3.3 mg%. Beef contains 2.7 mg% of iron. But most of all this mineral substance is in the liver of animals and birds: in beef - 6.9 mg%, in the liver of chickens - 17.5 mg%. In general, the liver is a rich source of all micro and macro elements, so it should be included in the diet 1-2 times a week.

The daily requirement for proteins in the elderly is 0.8-1.0 g per 1 kg of body weight. For the day of optimal protein metabolism, it is necessary that the ratio of animal and vegetable proteins in the daily diet be 50:50.

At abuse of meat food there is a risk of developing atherosclerosis, heart attack, stroke; with strict vegetarianism - oncological diseases and anemia, which leads to oxygen starvation all organs, especially the heart and brain.

In old age, it is recommended to eat meat 2 - 3 times a week, fish - too. 1 3 times a week and spend 1-2 fasting days. The meat of rabbit, turkey and chicken is the most valuable for the elderly, as it is easily digestible and rich in the very important essential amino acid lysine.

Japanese Cooking Tips

Each amino acid performs its own specific functions in the human body. For instance, lysine contributes to the reduction of cholesterol, better absorption of calcium, improves vision. This amino acid has an antiviral effect.

In addition to meat products, fish are also found in a sufficient amount of lick, especially in pink salmon, sardines, tuna, sturgeon fish, and also in squid. There is another essential amino acid in fish and seafood - taurine. More in taurine in squid, shrimp, mussels.

Taurine is required by the body for signaling in nerve cells. It stimulates the regeneration and metabolism of the tissues of the eye and its retina, normalizes blood pressure, lowers blood cholesterol, improves the functioning of the heart muscle, and improves the action of insulin.

There is little taurine in the meat of animals and birds, it is practically absent in vegetables and fruits. Therefore, fish and seafood are very useful for older people, especially since they are easier and faster to digest.

However, some nutritionists do not advise older people to consume certain seafood due to their high cholesterol content. At the same time, nutritionists in Japan have proven that seafood containing cholesterol is considered safe if the level of taurine exceeds the level of cholesterol in it by 4 times. And in most seafood (squid, shrimp, mussels) there is 11 times more taurine. Moreover, Japanese chefs advise using broths in which seafood is boiled, since taurine dissolves well in water.

More recently, Russian nutritionists have proven that squids are especially useful in old age, since in addition to taurine they contain a lot of copper, which is necessary for the synthesis of hemoglobin. In addition, copper deficiency leads to fragility of blood vessels and hemorrhages. Squid also contains selenium, a powerful antioxidant.

Ideal source of amino acids

Eggs are traditional and loved by all food products. But for almost the entire 20th century, eggs, especially the yolk, were considered far from being useful product, and all because of the content in them of a large amount of cholesterol. At the same time, egg white is a highly valuable animal protein, it is completely digested and absorbed by the body by 98%. There is really a lot of cholesterol in eggs - 0.57 g % (for comparison, in chicken meat -0.02-0.03 g %), Moreover, all cholesterol is concentrated in the yolk, it is not in the egg white. However, the yolk itself contains many substances that can withstand the adverse effects of excess cholesterol. These are, for example, phospholipids, in particular lecithin. The content of lecithin in the yolk exceeds 6 times, which is a very favorable ratio and completely crosses out the negative effect of cholesterol, transferring it to the category of useful.

Lecithin is an important factor in the regulation of cholesterol metabolism. It prevents the accumulation of excess amounts of cholesterol in the body, promotes its breakdown and excretion from the body.

In addition to the lecithin necessary for the body, the yolk of eggs contains more than the protein, B vitamins, vitamins A and D, but most importantly, it contains a lot of choline, this “supersubstance” for the brain.

Choline is part of acetylcholine, one of the functions of which is to ensure the transmission of impulses from one neuron to another. With a lack of choline, typical senile sclerosis can begin by the age of 40, expressed in forgetfulness and absent-mindedness. Since entire colonies of neurons can die with a lack of choline, eventually there is a danger of developing senile dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

The latest research proves. that through a nutritious diet with sufficient choline content, seemingly irreparable memory loss can be cured.

In addition to egg hardness, there is enough choline in the liver of animals and birds, in sprouted grains of wheat, oatmeal, cauliflower and broccoli.

Egg white contains neither lecithin nor choline, but it contains a lot of valuable essential amino acid - methionine. methionine is useful in that it prevents the deposition of fat in the liver and blood vessels and has a powerful antioxidant effect.

So it is useful for a person to eat a whole egg, and eggs must be included in the diet at any age. However, the elderly are advised to use more often not chicken, but quail eggs. They have many advantages: they contain more vitamin A (chicken egg - 0.25 mg%, quail egg - 0.47 mg%), more valuable choline (chicken egg - 251 mg%, quail egg - 507 mg%), as well as more iron, magnesium, copper, selenium and chromium. In addition, quail egg protein is absorbed by the elderly body much better than chicken egg protein.

Products not recommended for the elderly include all smoked meats (meat and fish) and sausages. these products are saturated with harmful compounds and provoke the development of oncological and cardiovascular diseases.

Advice from a specialist Nina Samokhina.

"60 is not old"

Who eats right today, or at least knows how to eat right? What is she, the most effective program our balanced diet and effective life?
We don't have a definite answer. There are a lot of diets, methods, programs, directions, and therefore it is difficult to decide which one to prefer in order to actively replenish, and not waste your energy potential on trifles.

Products give us strength, energize, shape our organs - from complexion to figure.
Food is a building material, a medicine, and a poison. Our whole life depends on the food we eat, and how well it is chosen, our heart, blood vessels, brain, tissues and other vital organs will be so healthy tomorrow, in a month, in a year, 10 years.

Many of us only know that our food should consist of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and there are also enzymes, acids and much more. They are the energy base of our food. And both a lack and an excess of any of them upset this balance and can even be dangerous to health.

In short, there are no less questions than answers. In addition to the fact that our diet must be balanced, it must not contain food hazards. And there are plenty of them today - refined foods, food additives, hydrogenated oils, various kinds of stabilizers, preservatives, fillers, flavors, dyes, surrogates and unpurified water.

The energy base of the diet consists of proteins, saturated and unsaturated fats and carbohydrates. An excess of any of them (as well as a deficiency) is dangerous to health. They also need to be consumed in certain quantities.

Large protein molecules consist of smaller amino acids, which are interconnected inside the protein, like links in a single chain. Part of the amino acids can enter the body only from the outside with food; such amino acids are called essential. Other amino acids are non-essential because they are produced internally in the body.

Therefore, the usefulness of protein products is largely determined by the content of essential amino acids in them.

Rich sources of protein: white meat of chickens and turkeys, liver and meat of calves, fish and fish products, cottage cheese, egg whites.

Vegetable protein products usually do not contain all essential amino acids, however, vegetable protein has nutritional value precisely because of the presence of essential amino acids in it. A large amount of protein is found in the leaves of onion, parsley, watercress, horseradish.

Organic acids contained in vegetables in significant quantities determine their sour taste (sorrel, borage, lettuce). Many vegetables are dominated by citric and malic acids, but there are also oxalic and tartaric acids.

Organic acids are actively involved in metabolism, stimulate the activity of the salivary glands.

In most plants, not one substance turns out to be curative, but a combination of substances. In cases where plant foods predominate in the human diet (for example, among vegetarians), it has to be artificially enriched with essential amino acids in the form of special nutritional supplements.

An important note about the quality of protein products

Any methods of preserving protein products (primarily meat) reduce nutritional value this product. Repeated freezing and thawing, adding preservatives, etc. destroy the natural structure of fragile protein molecules.

The nutritional value of frozen meat is at least 40% lower compared to the same non-frozen product.

In principle, one should strive for natural products (such as fresh meat, fresh fish, eggs, white poultry meat), and too intensive processing of such products (for example, deep frying or long digestion) also reduces the nutritional value of proteins.

So, a 100-gram piece of beef tenderloin cooked “with blood” will be more valuable in terms of nutrition than 300 g of the same boiled meat or the notorious Bush chicken legs.

Don't mindlessly consume protein!

So we know that...

1 Natural proteins are the natural building blocks of our body.

We don't know what...

2 Even in the best condition, proteins, if consumed in excessive amounts, can cause serious damage to the body's chemistry.

When a person reaches his maturity, he needs a minimum amount of protein - only to maintain "nitrogen balance". Therefore, when old age approaches, even this minimum can be reduced.

3 It is believed that dairy products cause great harm to older people. “Most of the old people are swimming inside their milk coffins,” Dr. Williams from London so wisely joked. If the secretion and bile of the liver are toxic and acidic, the milk curdles in the stomach into curds and turns into a hard and viscous substance, like rubber. Serum, forming lime urate, clogs the bile ducts, settles in the gallbladder and contributes to the formation of gallstones. It is lime urate that forms a whitish coating on the tongue and causes bad breath (the tongue is a barometer of the liver).

In liver diseases, attention should be paid to the use of milk as a dietary protein, especially for the elderly.

4 Different proteins are incompatible during meals, so only one protein should be consumed at a time.

5 Boiled and fried animal protein in the body turns into a little digestible and therefore rots during the digestion process (90% of diseases from it!).

6 The addition of salt to meat, both raw and cooked, always causes severe indigestion.

7 Do not boil or fry egg whites. The longer the protein is cooked, the more putrefactive products will be in the urine, sweat, and other secretions. It should be lightly cooked (stewed).

Roasting and boiling egg white makes it toxic. Egg yolk is more nutritious and harmless if eaten raw or soft boiled.

8 All strongly cooked proteins are digested with difficulty and cause blood poisoning, especially pork, veal, fish, poultry, small game, sea shellfish, cheeses.

9 Nuts should be finely ground (for example, in a coffee grinder) and used as an additive to salads, in the form of nut patties, cocktails, etc.

Nuts in an unprocessed, natural form are difficult for the stomach to digest, especially if they are not crushed in the most diligent way.

10 Even the most ideal protein should be consumed with raw plant foods (salads). In addition, the protein is fully absorbed with vitamin C - their ratio should be as follows: 110 g of meat and 1 mg of vitamin C.