Protein is all over the place these days. Whether or not it’s a health professional telling you to beef up your protein consumption, a ladies’s well being knowledgeable warning you concerning the risks of muscle loss in perimenopause, or a perimenopausal influencer making a comedy reel about all of the overwhelming suggestions for higher well being in center age (extra protein included), it feels as if protein is having a second.
As a result of menopause is turning into massive enterprise—and perimenopause together with it—these voices encouraging us to eat extra protein as we undergo the menopause transition are louder than ever.
Earlier than we get into whether or not ladies in perimenopause or post-menopause want extra protein, let’s get a greater understanding of what protein does for the human physique basically.
What Protein Really Does within the Physique
Protein is a naturally occurring substance within the human physique, composed of chemical constructing blocks often known as amino acids.
Our our bodies make a few of these amino acids, however there are 9 that we will’t make on our personal. These are those we should get from the protein we eat.
Protein in meals is present in each animal merchandise and vegetation. Some plant meals—like soy merchandise, quinoa, and sure leafy greens—include all 9 important amino acids, identical to meat does. Others include most, however not all.
Opposite to well-liked perception, this doesn’t imply you may’t get sufficient protein from vegetation. It merely means your food regimen must be various to make sure you’re getting all of the important amino acids your physique doesn’t produce.
Consuming protein-rich meals is necessary as a result of protein helps your total physique perform. Sure, it’s good for constructing muscle—however it’s additionally important for constructing and repairing almost your whole cells and tissues. In line with the FDA, proteins are accountable for your bones, muscle mass, organs, and bodily fluids, in addition to your pores and skin, hair, and nails. Additionally they play a task in immune response, imaginative and prescient, blood clotting, and the manufacturing of enzymes and hormones.
With out protein, we wouldn’t have the ability to develop or survive.
Not like carbs and fats, our our bodies can’t actually retailer protein. As a substitute, we break down the protein we eat to get these necessary amino acids, that are then used all through each system within the physique.
That’s why it’s so necessary to eat sufficient protein repeatedly. When you digest it, it’s used or recycled inside your physique—and also you want extra to maintain every little thing working easily.
I’m not suggesting you always must be consuming protein, however making certain that you’ve sufficient frequently is important.
How A lot Protein Is Sufficient?
Ladies’s mind well being registered dietitian Barbie Boules recommends that ladies goal for 1.2–1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of physique weight per day.
For somebody who weighs 150 kilos (68 kg), that’s at the very least 82 grams of protein every day.
Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple, a analysis scientist specializing in ladies’s well being and health, agrees that you must goal for at least 1.2 g per kg or 0.55 g per pound.
Each consultants agree that the present RDA (advisable every day allowance) of 0.8 g/kg is just too low. Additionally they word that intakes at or above 1.6 g/kg (0.73 g/lb) aren’t harmful and could also be proper in instances of very energetic people, however they’re not crucial for everybody both.
For context:
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6 oz rooster breast = 37.8 g
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6 oz tofu = ~14 g
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1 cup cottage cheese = 28 g
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1 massive egg = ~6 g
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2 tbsp peanut butter = 8 g
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¼ cup steel-cut oats = 5 g
Basically, if you happen to’re consuming a a food regimen of largely minimally-processed meals from all kinds of sources, you need to be simply high-quality.
Protein and the Menopause Transition
So, what about ladies within the menopause transition? Do they really want extra protein than everybody else?
Probably not.
There are some wild claims suggesting that ladies lose as much as 10% of their muscle mass throughout menopause—however the information doesn’t again that up.
Each men and women lose a small quantity of muscle mass yearly beginning of their thirties. Ladies lose round 0.37% per yr, whereas males lose round 0.47% per yr. That is very true if you happen to’re not doing something to intentionally construct muscle mass (we’ll get to that in a second).
As soon as we hit 75, muscle-mass loss will increase to round 0.64–0.7% per yr for girls and 0.8–0.98% per yr for males.
In line with Dr. Colenso-Semple—quoted in an article for The Vajenda—this is smart as a result of as we become old, we’re sometimes much less bodily energetic, which impacts muscle loss:
“Relying on the measurement method, the speed of muscle loss is ~0.05% to ~1% per yr. Getting old and lowered bodily exercise typically go hand in hand, so muscle loss in people over 75 tends to be higher than muscle loss in people of their early 60s.”
She additionally notes that, thus far, the proof doesn’t point out that the lower in estrogen—which performs an enormous position within the menopause transition—has any direct impression on muscle loss.
The 2 issues that put some perimenopausal and post-menopausal ladies at barely increased danger for muscle loss are decreased bodily exercise and having much less lean muscle to start with.
In the event you’re beginning with much less muscle, you don’t have as a lot to lose.
Protein Alone Gained’t Construct Muscle
We all know protein is important for constructing muscle—however protein alone gained’t make your muscle mass develop.
You’ll be able to’t eat your approach to extra muscle.
If that have been true, individuals on the carnivore food regimen could be ripped with out ever setting foot in a gymnasium.
So as to truly construct muscle, you must add energy coaching. With out growing the load you’re asking your muscle mass to hold, they gained’t develop or get stronger.
So the advice for girls in perimenopause to eat considerably extra protein than Dr. Colenso-Semple’s instructed 0.55 g per pound of physique weight is pointless.
What turns into extra necessary as you become old is staying bodily energetic—and ideally including resistance coaching—to forestall and gradual the method of muscle loss that’s extra related to growing old than menopause itself.
So eat all of the protein you need, however be sure you’re additionally giving your muscle mass a lift by lifting weights, too.
The Backside Line
Protein is important at all ages—however it’s not a magic bullet.
For midlife ladies, the mixture of ample protein and common energy coaching is what retains your physique robust, practical, and succesful for many years to come back.
Eat sufficient, transfer your physique, elevate some weights, and construct a physique that lasts. —Naomi
References:
Article in The Vajenda by Dr. Jen Gunter: https://vajenda.substack.com/p/muscle-mass-and-perimenopause
Entrance Web page Health podcast with Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple and Dr. Eric Trexler masking protein particularly: https://podcasts.apple.com/il/podcast/ep-5-is-protein-over-rated/id1809853430?i=1000709352461
