People Over 60 Years Of Age Can Benefit Greatly From Whey Protein Reveals Study

Muscle rebuilding gets difficult as we grow but a recent study by the McMaster University has found that whey protein can work quite well with those above 60 years of age. This protein form helps in rebuilding muscle which can occur as a result of illness or a long hospital stay. Muscle rebuilding in turn can help in keeping the balance, gait and ability as well as do everyday chores for older people says Science Daily.

Whey Protein For Muscle Recovery

“The important message here is that not all proteins are created equal. Whey is one of the highest quality proteins and is ideal for older persons,” says Stuart Phillips, senior author on the paper and a professor of kinesiology at McMaster. For the study, Phillips and his team compared collagen protein and whey and their impacts on muscle loss. The study was conducted on people of the age group of 65 to 80 years and these were all non-smokers and non-diabetic. They were divided into two groups wherein one was given whey protein and the other was on a collagen peptide consumption.

After being on a controlled diet for five weeks and an additional one-week recovery period before starting their routine diet, it was found that both group lost equal amounts of muscle. “While we already know that complete protein sources are more potent for stimulating building processes we were surprised to discover that after two weeks of limiting steps among the participants, there were no apparent differences in muscle loss between the two groups,” says Sara Oikawa the lead author and a graduate student in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster.

However, when the participants came back to their normal diet, it was found that during the muscle building stage, the group that consumed whey protein had developed more skeletal muscle. “When we consider measures that can be taken to help seniors as they age, it’s clear that whey is an important ingredient. Conversely, we should avoid collagen in formulations targeting older people,” says Oikawa