OLD BULL PROTEIN GUIDE

OBH MISSION

Fitter and stronger for longer. Science-backed, straight talk supplements designed with men over 50 in mind. No pills, no fluff. 

THE NEW FRONTLINE FOR MUSCLE MASS

As you age, you enter the Sarcopenia Slide.  Australian Government health guidelines recommend 0.84g of protein/kg body weight per day for people aged 18-70, and 1g/kg body weight for older adults. Consider this the bare minimum! Now layer in age, muscle mass, and exercise, and start thinking in the range of 1.2 - 1.4g of protein/kg body weight per day. 

The new US dietary guidelines recommend 1.2 - 1.6 g protein /kg of body weight with an emphasis on high-quality protein.

Whatever your view or guidance, remember 3 things:

1. Your body needs protein to survive.
2. Most don’t know how much.
3. Few know why.

Protein promotes muscle protein synthesis and is the building block of bone, muscle, and skin. Protein not only helps maintain and build muscle mass but also supports the production of numerous hormones and enzymes the body needs. 

Podcast:  "Why you just Might need some Protein".
Find all the Old Bull Health Podcasts.

FIVE KEY PROTEIN FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW

1. People who exercise use protein powder for muscle. How much to take or when to take it.
2. The most common protein sources include red meat, chicken, and eggs, even though they don't necessarily consume these every day.
3. Of those using a protein powder supplement, few knew the difference between the 3 types of protein available (hydrolyzed, isolate, and concentrate).
4. People who use vegan or plant-based protein powders don't always know their amino acid profiles and assume all protein powders are the same. They're not!

Protein is critical to the human body, especially as the body ages, not just when it's eighteen and going to the gym. Muscle mass needs to be maintained and retained throughout life. As you get older, this gets harder.

If you are considering a GLP-1 weight-loss medication such as Wegovy or Maunjaro, ask about protein intake while taking it. Protein intake is important when using these medications to preserve muscle mass.

WHY YOU NEED PROTEIN?

Everyone has an opinion on protein supplements; everything is advertised with "added protein," and we believe it is good for us. Most of the ads are focused on gym-going bodybuilders and protein powder.

What about middle-aged or older men and women?

We may eat less to manage our weight. Less food = less protein share. Absorption declines as we age. Lower absorption = less protein intake. 

So, we researched and examined Government Guidelines both here and overseas, spoke with experts, athletes, and other users, reviewed research documents, and available clinical trials to develop this PROTEIN GUIDE. The one and only.

1. What is Protein Powder? 

• Macronutrients, essential for building muscle mass.
  
• Amino acids - 3 BCAAs | 9 essential (Incl. BCAAs) | about 20 in total (incl. essential)
• Your body can create them, except for the 9 essentials. You need these amino acids from other sources. 
• BCAAs are Branched Chain Amino Acids due to their structure.
• Also, Conditional Amino Acids, meaning they may only be created when needed, for example, due to a health condition.

* is the % to look for in a quality protein. So, when combined, BCAAs should exceed 20%, ideally 22-25%. Likewise, the combined amount of Essential Amino acids should exceed 40%, ideally around 45%. Remember, your body can produce the other amino acids.

2. Why do you need protein?

Your body needs protein to function. There are proteins in your organs, muscles, tissues, bones, skin, and hair (Assuming you still have some). 

If you don’t get enough protein, the key concern is the loss of muscle mass. Muscle mass can mean a loss of mobility and independence. Keep it as long as you can. 

Proteins also help produce antibodies to fight off infections, support mood and sleep, keep existing cells healthy, and help build new cells.

So, if you want to try retain, or regain your current or former glory. Or you can feel your muscle mass is decreasing. You just might need some protein.

3. Why do men need protein?

Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia is a condition that results in the loss of strength and muscle mass and can begin to affect us from the age of thirty years old. Sarcopenia can also accelerate as we age, specifically for those who don't exercise or don't do enough exercise.

Avoiding Sarcopenia supports a longer-term quality of life. It can help prevent frailty later in life, but a key part of this is exercise (specifically resistance training) and your nutritional quality, which includes the need for protein to maintain muscle mass. 

Metabolism

As we reach fifty-ish, many of us start to pick up or have already picked up some extra weight, partly as our metabolism continues to slow. 

This may mean eating less, and if you are partial to a beer or three, eating even less to manage your weight. If you eat less, your protein intake will logically decrease.

Age

The last bit of bad news is that as we age:

Protein absorption can also be impacted negatively by diet, alcohol intake, and any reduced absorption by the splanchnic tissue in our gut.

Once again, all of this leads to reduced protein intake when we might need it most.

4. How much Protein do you need?

This is a great question. Your size, body composition, height, weight, gender, and level of physical activity all affect how much protein you need (Specific daily intake requirement).

What the Americans say: 

Dietary guidelines for Americans recommend 10-35% of your daily calories from protein. The more active you are, the more calories you need, but the percentage should stay in the same range.

Australian RDI

The Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council recommends a daily intake (RDI) for Australian males aged 18 years and older of 0.84 g per kg body mass, or 64 g per day. This is for a male weighing 75 KG. For females, this is 0.75 g per kg body mass.

Research on the topic:

Adults over 53 years old appeared to have 25% higher muscle-maintenance requirements than younger males in a study by Rand et al. (2003), but this study included only 14 subjects.

Other researchers have also suggested higher intakes (Campbell & Evans, 1996; Campbell et al., 2001), and, as a result, the RDI was increased by 25% only for males aged 75 years and older. Over 70 years, the RDI increases to 1.07g per kg body mass or 81 g per day based on the above.

Little accurate protein RDI guidance is available for those who are active.

So, the protein RDI can change depending on which country you live in and whose research you are reading. Check our protein intake guide to see how much you might need and how this relates to exercise activity.

5. Protein Sources

Protein Powder

When it comes to protein powder, the local supermarket, pharmacy, sports nutrition store, or our very own Old Bull protein powder. 

Protein powders are a great source of protein, coming from either animals or plants. You can read more about protein types, including the pros and cons of animal versus plant protein, and about concentrate versus isolate.

Using a protein powder to supplement your protein intake between meals is a smart idea if your intake is low, to ensure sufficient protein is delivered not only to your entire body but also to your muscles quickly before or after exercise.

If you are not already using a protein powder, we recommend consulting a medical professional first.

Food

A nutritious, well-balanced diet will always get you a long way.

Protein is a part of most food consumed, in fact even beer. Examples of common foods and their protein content are shown below for broad guidance.

Age and lifestyle factors can impact absorption.

Find out more about protein quantities and, yes, how many beers you would need to drink to get your daily intake of protein, and why that is not a good idea.

SUMMARY

As we age gracefully or disgracefully, we all want to retain some part of our youth, the good parts anyway.

Staying healthy generally means exercise, ideally resistance training to maintain muscle mass, sleep, weight management, some cardio, and healthy nutrition, to mention a few. See how the AI Engines view this.

Protein powders are a great way to supplement your protein intake. You can read more about their benefits here.