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Abstract
Body composition changes as people get older. One of the noteworthy alterations is the reduction in total body protein. A decrease in skeletal muscle is the most noticeable manifestation of this change but there is also a reduction in other physiologic proteins such as organ tissue, blood components, and immune bodies as well as declines in total body potassium and water. This contributes to impaired wound healing, loss of skin elasticity, and an inability to fight infection. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for adults for protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Protein tissue accounts for 30% of whole-body protein turnover but that rate declines to 20% or less by age 70. The result of this phenomenon is that older adults require more protein/kilogram body weight than do younger adults. Recently, it has become clear that the requirement for exogenous protein is at least 1.0 gram/kilogram body weight. Adequate dietary intake of protein may be more difficult for older adults to obtain. Dietary animal protein is the primary source of high biological value protein, iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, biotin and other essential nutrients. In fact, egg protein is the standard against which all other proteins are compared. Compared to other high-quality protein sources like meat, poultry and seafood, eggs are the least expensive. The importance of dietary protein cannot be underestimated in the diets of older adults; inadequate protein intake contributes to a decrease in reserve capacity, increased skin fragility, decreased immune function, poorer healing, and longer recuperation from illness.
Key teaching points:
• Body composition changes with advancing age, with the loss of protein tissue being most significant.
• All body protein compartments are reduced in size.
• RDA for protein for adults is not adequate to maintain nitrogen equilibrium in elderly adults; at least 1.0 g/kg/body weight is needed for equilibrium in healthy, ambulatory older adults.
• Additional levels of protein are required to meet the needs demanded by physiological stress.
• High levels of dietary protein will not affect renal function in an individual who does not have predisposing renal disease.
• Eggs provide an excellent source of dietary protein that is inexpensive, easy to prepare, and readily available; blood lipids decrease as a risk factor for heart disease in later life.
Key teaching points:
• Body composition changes with advancing age, with the loss of protein tissue being most significant.
• All body protein compartments are reduced in size.
• RDA for protein for adults is not adequate to maintain nitrogen equilibrium in elderly adults; at least 1.0 g/kg/body weight is needed for equilibrium in healthy, ambulatory older adults.
• Additional levels of protein are required to meet the needs demanded by physiological stress.
• High levels of dietary protein will not affect renal function in an individual who does not have predisposing renal disease.
• Eggs provide an excellent source of dietary protein that is inexpensive, easy to prepare, and readily available; blood lipids decrease as a risk factor for heart disease in later life.