By Sean Zucker –
The benefits of consuming a high-protein diet are well stated. Multiple studies have shown that higher-protein diets can help support weight loss, promote weight management, enhance glycemic regulation and potentially improve bone health. However, new research is now claiming that the healthiest source of protein might be from plants, especially for middle-aged women.
A study out of Tufts University examined the long-term association between protein intake and healthy aging in women. The research utilized data from Harvard’s Nurses’ Health Study, which tracked the health of female healthcare professionals from 1984 to 2016. The Tufts team combed through the self-reported developments of over 48,000 women who were all between the ages of 38 and 59 in 1984. They were also deemed to be in good physical and mental health at the start of the study.
On average, each participant’s health was followed for 27 years. After this time, only 3721, or barely seven percent, of the women met the criteria for healthy aging. The study defined healthy aging as being free from 11 major chronic diseases including cancer, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, having good mental health and not having impairments in either cognitive or physical function. The research team discovered that individuals with high levels of protein intake, specifically from plant-based protein, were far more likely to enjoy healthy aging. This association was independent of other factors such as age, smoking, physical activity and body mass index (BMI).
The results, among other things, suggest that plant protein intake is an important factor in maintaining health and well-being in older adults, noted study leader Andres Ardisson Korat, a scientist with the university. The results also underscored the importance of higher protein intake, in general, for middle-aged and older adults, regardless of lifestyle and demographics.
“Consuming protein in midlife was linked to promoting good health in older adulthood,” Ardisson Korat said. “We also found that the source of protein matters. Getting the majority of your protein from plant sources at midlife, plus a small amount of animal protein seems to be conducive to good health and good survival to older ages.”
Participants who sculpted their diets further by replacing animal or dairy protein with plant protein had much higher odds of healthy aging.
“Those who consumed greater amounts of animal protein tended to have more chronic disease and didn’t manage to obtain the improved physical function that we normally associate with eating protein,” Ardisson Korat added. “Dietary protein intake, especially plant protein, in midlife plays an important role in the promotion of healthy aging and in maintaining positive health status at older ages.”
Regardless of the results, further research is still needed, particularly involving more diverse subjects. “The data from the study tended to be very homogeneous in terms of demographic and socioeconomic composition so it will be valuable to follow up with a study in cohorts that are more diverse. It’s a field that is still evolving,” Ardisson Korat said.
