Posted by ProPortion Foods Blog on Jul 5, 2018 in Muscle, Nutrition
After sitting through Day 1 of APAC’s Healthy Ageing Summit in Singapore, attendees relaxed at a cocktail reception. “The vibe of the reception was buzzing with excitement and conversations,” according to Nikki.
Invigorated by the networking and eager to learn more, Day 2 promised an interesting agenda. Nikki was particularly keen to hear about sarcopenia, a research focus of Proportion Foods.
Sarcopenia is not a rare condition; in fact, this accelerated loss of muscle mass and strength afflicts an estimated 5-13 percent of 60-70-year-olds.
But while healthcare professionals and patients are well informed about osteoporosis in aging, awareness levels for sarcopenia are lagging about 10 years behind, according to John Burstow from TSI Pharmaceuticals.
New research has now linked sarcopenia to cancer survival. A recent observational study found that a third of women diagnosed with non-metastatic breast cancer had sarcopenia, and this was associated with a higher risk of dying than those with adequate muscle mass.
In fact, sarcopenia led to a 41 percent reduced risk of survival. Higher body fat was also associated with elevated mortality risk. Women with sarcopenia and excess body fat were 89 percent more likely to die.
Dr Bejit Ideas, from Japan’s Anti-Ageing Society, discussed the Okinawa Centenarian Study – a study of Okinawa’s centenarians and older adults that’s been going since 1975. They not only enjoy the world’s most prolonged life expectancy but also the longest health expectancy.
When the study began, principal investigator Dr Suzuki “found an unusual number of centenarians to be in extraordinarily healthy shape,” according to the study’s website. “They were lean, youthful-looking, energetic, and had remarkably low rates of heart disease and cancer.”
What are their secrets? Lifestyle has emerged as a pivotal feature. Older Okinawans are active both physically and mentally. Their diets are packed with fruit, vegetables, and other foods full of fibre and antioxidants. They also practice “hara hachi bu” – meaning they only eat until they are 80 percent full.
“Signatures of longevity in the gut microbiota profile” could be an important clue to living healthier and longer. According to Italian researchers, humans have a lifelong relationship with the trillions of micro-organisms that inhabit the gut, which in ageing is “an adaptive process of the human superorganism.”
Diet is a key contributor to a healthy microbiome, which helps fight inflammation, leaky gut and declining bone and cognitive health.
Inflammation lurks beneath the chronic diseases that plague modern cultures including biological ageing, as Dr Paul Clayton from the Institute of Food, Brain and Behaviour discussed in a panel debate on the future of ageing.
In fact, researchers have coined the term “inflamm-aging,” a prominent risk factor for unhealthy aging and degeneration in older people.
But how to improve people’s diets and reduce risk of chronic disease? Some propose that personalised nutrition will help, the focus of emerging research. A European project, Food4Me, showed that people find it easier to adopt healthier diets when advice is targeted to their individual needs.
The researchers concluded from a study with four different conditions that “personal is what matters most,” and predict that this could be translated into an array of different technologies to personalise nutrition advice.
https://www.healthyageingsummit-asiapacific.com/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3505577/
https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2018/sarcopenia-breast-cancer-prognosis
https://www.medicaldaily.com/breast-cancer-what-sarcopenia-and-how-does-it-affect-mortality-423428
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,994967-4,00.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28049008
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982216303384
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28003373
https://www.ingredientsnetwork.com/personalised-nutrition-could-be-key-to-healthy-news073075.html
https://www.eufic.org/en/healthy-living/article/personalised-nutrition-food4me-project
Posted by ProPortion Foods Blog on Jun 20, 2018 in Digestion, Muscle, Nutrition, Protein
Protein, an indispensable part of our diet, has multiple roles in the body – particularly in aging for growth, repair and maintaining muscle mass. But dietary proteins are not all equal. Here are some nuts and bolts of this exquisitely complex nutrient.
Protein, carbohydrate and fat are all macronutrients formed by different ratios of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Additionally, protein contains nitrogen.
Proteins come in all shapes and sizes. They are created from twenty amino acids joined in fifty to tens of thousands of different combinations to make enzymes, antibodies and hormones, transport molecules and regulate the body’s acid-alkaline balance.
Nine amino acids are essential – the body cannot make them, so they must come from dietary sources. These are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Six amino acids are conditionally essential (needed in special circumstances like illness) and five are dispensable as the body can synthesise plenty of them.
The biological activity and nutritional benefits of protein vary according to how the amino acids are configured and how the body digests them. Based on this, various methods have been devised to measure protein quality – availability of its amino acids – and digestibility – how the protein is best used.
The biological value (BV) scoring system assumes that protein is the only dietary source of nitrogen. It measures protein quality by calculating a ratio of how much nitrogen is absorbed versus the amount excreted then multiplied by 100 to give a percentage of nitrogen used by the body.
The protein digestibility-corrected amino-acid score (PDCAAS) ranks protein quality by comparing its amino acid profile with a reference score, corrected for faecal nitrogen digestibility. This score was backed jointly by the Food and Agricultural and World Health Organisations (FAO/WHO) in 1989 as the best way to assess protein quality.
But the PDAAS has limitations; for instance measuring amino acid synthesis in the small intestine would be a better assessment of their digestion than in the large bowel (colon). Further analysis has suggested that the PDCAAS tends to underestimate high-quality proteins and overestimate low-quality proteins.
The FAO now recommends the digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS), which measures the digestibility of individual amino acids at the end of the small intestine and may therefore be more accurate.
Despite some variation, the quality ratings generally agree on high protein food sources. Animal protein contains all the essential amino acids and is therefore complete. Eggs and dairy protein are ranked as high-quality proteins, followed by meat, chicken and fish. Eggs and dairy are easily digested and are good options for people with digestive disorders.
Vegetable protein typically lacks one or more amino acids. But the following combinations provide all essential amino acids and are therefore highly ranked: rice and peas; grains and legumes; grains and vegetables; grains, nuts and seeds; legumes, nuts and seeds. Importantly, the body doesn’t necessarily need all amino acids in one meal – they can be spread out over the day.
Some vegetable proteins do contain all essential amino acids. This includes hempseed, pea protein and quinoa.
This is good news in light of mounting research showing the superior health benefits of a plant-based diet. Plant foods provide fibre and nature’s medicinal cabinet of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Concerns over ethics of animal farming and environmental sustainability are also driving a growing demand for diets higher in plant foods.
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/78/2/250/4689932
https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/130/7/1865S/4686203
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23107546
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905294/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28382889
http://www.fao.org/ag/humannutrition/35978-02317b979a686a57aa4593304ffc17f06.pdf
http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0217p26.shtml
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_Digestibility_Corrected_Amino_Acid_Score
https://www.livestrong.com/article/28321-easytodigest-high-protein/
Posted by ProPortion Foods Blog on May 15, 2018 in Muscle, Protein, Research
Popeye devoured spinach to make his muscles strong. But his creators, like everyone else, were duped by a chemist’s miscalculation of this vegetable’s iron content. Could coffee have helped?
Many athletes drink coffee not just for a pick-me-up, but to help them perform. Sports scientists have explored caffeine’s exercise enhancing properties for more than a century.
More recently, the focus has shifted from aerobic exercises like cycling and running to caffeine’s effect on muscle strength, power and endurance.
Studies have found varying effects of caffeine on muscle performance. One meta-analysis – larger analysis that pools all eligible studies together – found that caffeine increased the lower body’s muscle contraction ability by 7%. However, another meta-analysis found no effect. Part of the reason could be the type of tests that were used.
A new meta-analysis of ten studies has now reported that caffeine improves muscle strength and power using one-repetition maximum and vertical jump tests, respectively. Curiously, further analyses found that caffeine improved upper but not lower body strength.
Scientists are not clear exactly how coffee might enhance performance, but evidence suggests its effects could be multifactorial. It seems to revolve around caffeine’s stimulation of the nervous system. This likely explains why it helps people feel more alert. Caffeine may improve performance by enhancing muscle contraction and subduing perceived pain and exertion.
Maintaining muscle mass and strength is particularly important for healthy aging. Strength training programs tailored to individual needs, supplemented by protein and good nutrition, will alleviate risk of sarcopenia, falls, hospitalisation and associated decline.
It’s important to note that statistical analyses of research outcomes work on averages. Caffeine research shows notable variation in people’s response to it. This variation is apparent in research on its heart and cognitive benefits.
A study published last month reported that a large pooled analysis of several population-based studies showed caffeine intake was associated with decreased atrial fibrillation (abnormal heart rhythm that can impact heart function). Up to 6 cups of coffee a day was not linked with increased severity of abnormal heart rate overall. But around a quarter of patients reported that coffee did trigger atrial fibrillation.
People’s muscle function also shows varied response to caffeine. One study, for instance, reported that some participants’ back-squat performance decreased by 7% with caffeine intake while others increased by up to 10%. Authors concluded that, “Due to inter-individual variability in responses to caffeine consumption, it must be used in an individualized manner.”
The authors noted that people are likely to be caffeine ‘responders’ or ‘non-responders.’ In this they refer to genetic differences. People who are slow caffeine metabolisers lack a gene that is seen in fast caffeine metabolisers – you know, those lucky people who can have a coffee at midnight and still sleep soundly.
It turns out that positive links between coffee and heart health are seen in fast, but not slow, coffee metabolisers.
So if you know you can happily tolerate caffeine, indulging in a cuppa before exercise might help boost endurance and build muscle – perhaps not quite like Popeye but stronger and healthier nonetheless.
https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-018-0216-0
https://www.active.com/articles/the-facts-about-caffeine-and-athletic-performance
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com.access.library.unisa.edu.au/doi/abs/10.1139/h08-121
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17461391.2017.1330362
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com.access.library.unisa.edu.au/doi/pdf/10.1139/H08-121
https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/07/12/for-coffee-drinkers-the-buzz-may-be-in-your-genes/
Posted by ProPortion Foods Blog on Apr 24, 2018 in Aged Care, Malnutrition, Muscle, Nutrition, Sarcopenia
Thinking of malnutrition tends to generate images of starving people in third world countries. But malnutrition is silently affecting aging people at home. It afflicts a third of older adults admitted to hospital and over half of aged care residents – and it is often overlooked.
Malnutrition in aging can have serious consequences for physical and mental health, recovery from illness and quality of life. Prevention is best, so it is important to detect malnutrition early.
How can you tell if your loved one – whether it be partner, parent, grandparent or someone you care for – is malnourished or at risk for malnutrition? Here are some clues to be aware of.
The primary, most obvious symptom is weight loss. Technically malnutrition is defined as unintentionally losing 5-10% body weight over 3-6 months. Other indicators include baggy clothes and belts. Even loose jewellery (e.g. rings) and dentures are tell-tale signs.
Food provides calories and essential nutrients needed to produce energy. Not meeting nutritional needs through diet can result in tiredness, weakness and dizziness. A clue here could be reduced levels of mobility. Look out for diminished muscle mass – a risk factor for sarcopenia.
It’s commonly recognised that depression can affect people’s appetite. But nutrients from food – carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals – are also vital for healthy brain function. Not getting enough can impact mood and even lead to major depression.
Aging and some medications can alter taste and appetite. Eating less can, in turn, reduce appetite. Strategies to provide tasty, nutrient-rich food, small meals and regular snacks can help mitigate this.
You can’t fool your dentist. Teeth and gums are a key indicator of nutrition and health status. Swollen or bleeding gums are early oral symptoms of malnutrition. If malnutrition progresses, it can cause irreversible tooth decay.
Check brushes and clothes for excess hair. Hair loss and lack lustre hair can reflect poor nutrition status, particularly insufficient protein and iron. Nails also become dry, brittle and discoloured if essential nutrients are lacking. When iron levels drop too low, nails can start curling upwards, signalling possible iron-deficiency anaemia.
Our immune system needs nutrients to prevent and ward off disease. Frequent illness and infections can reveal poor nutrition status. Also be on the watch for easy bruising and wounds that don’t heal easily.
Chronic constipation can signal insufficient food intake to mobilise the digestive tract; it can also reflect inadequate fibre and/or dehydration – common in older adults. Conversely, watch out for persistent diarrhoea because this can decrease nutrient absorption and exacerbate malnutrition.
Several strategies can prevent and alleviate malnutrition. Most important are regular meals and snacks containing protein and energy, a variety of food from the key food groups, and regular drinks to avoid dehydration.
Barriers and catalysts of eating need to be identified and addressed, and every effort made to help older people enjoy food and the enhanced wellbeing that it delivers.
https://www.webmd.boots.com/healthy-eating/guide/malnutrition
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/malnutrition/symptoms/
http://rmhealthy.com/10-signs-symptoms-malnutrition/
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1028415X.2017.1411320
https://www.webmd.boots.com/healthy-ageing/features/signs-of-malnourishment-in-older-people?page=3
https://www.livestrong.com/article/18046-signs-symptoms-malnutrition/
https://www.webmd.boots.com/healthy-ageing/features/signs-of-malnourishment-in-older-people?page=2