Health Effects of Increasing Protein Intake Above the Current Population Reference Intake in Older Adults: A Systematic Review of the Health Council of the Netherlands

Whether older adults need more protein than younger adults is debated. The population reference intake for adults set by the European Food Safety Authority is 0.83 g/kg body weight (BW)/d based primarily on nitrogen balance studies, but the underlying data on health outcomes are outdated. An expert...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) Md.), 2022-08, Vol.13 (4), p.1083-1117
Main Authors: Hengeveld, Linda M, de Goede, Janette, Afman, Lydia A, Bakker, Stephan J L, Beulens, Joline W J, Blaak, Ellen E, Boersma, Eric, Geleijnse, Johanna M, van Goudoever, Johannes (Hans) B, Hopman, Maria T E, Iestra, Jolein A, Kremers, Stef P J, Mensink, Ronald P, de Roos, Nicole M, Stehouwer, Coen D A, Verkaik-Kloosterman, Janneke, de Vet, Emely, Visser, Marjolein
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
aging
amino acids
Body Composition
dietary protein
Dietary Proteins - pharmacology
dietary reference value
Humans
intervention studies
Lipids
muscle mass
Muscle Strength
Netherlands
physical function
protein supplements
resistant exercise
Review
systematic literature review
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Whether older adults need more protein than younger adults is debated. The population reference intake for adults set by the European Food Safety Authority is 0.83 g/kg body weight (BW)/d based primarily on nitrogen balance studies, but the underlying data on health outcomes are outdated. An expert committee of the Health Council of the Netherlands conducted a systematic review (SR) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effect of increased protein intake on health outcomes in older adults from the general population with an average habitual protein intake ≥0.8 g/(kg BW · d). Exposures were the following: 1) extra protein compared with no protein and 2) extra protein and physical exercise compared with physical exercise. Outcomes included lean body mass, muscle strength, physical performance, bone health, blood pressure, serum glucose and insulin, serum lipids, kidney function, and cognition. Data of >1300 subjects from 18 RCTs were used. Risk of bias was judged as high (n = 9) or “some concerns” (n = 9). In 7 of 18 RCTs, increased protein intake beneficially affected ≥1 of the tested outcome measures of lean body mass. For muscle strength, this applied to 3 of 8 RCTs in the context of physical exercise and in 1 of 7 RCTs without physical exercise. For the other outcomes,
ISSN:2161-8313
2156-5376
DOI:10.1093/advances/nmab140