Protein shakes have been used as a muscle-building supplement for a long time, but just how effective are they for older adults? Would a daily protein supplement for older adults help to offset the muscle atrophy associated with aging? That was the question asked by Mertz and colleagues in recent research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Adults aged 65 and older were randomly assigned into 1 of 5 groups. All five groups drank a shake with supplements twice per day, but the supplements were different for each group. One group got carbohydrates, one got collagen protein, and three got whey protein. Of the three whey protein supplement groups, one did not exercise, one did light resistance training 3-5 days per week, and one did heavy resistance training 3 days per week. None of the groups that did not exercise experienced gains in strength or muscle size. But both light and heavy resistance training helped to improve strength in older adults, with only the heavy resistance training group showing a difference in muscle size. The authors concluded that using a protein supplement is ineffective as a stand-alone intervention but that both light and heavy resistance training combined with a twice per day whey protein shake leads to strength gains.
Exercise is beneficial for more than just the muscles – the brain loves it, too! Exercise may even help to influence a person’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease. That’s what the PAAD2 study at UNC-Greensboro is all about.