Protein is in all places currently. Whether or not it’s a health professional telling you to beef up your protein consumption, a girls’s well being skilled 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 changing into large 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 girls in perimenopause or post-menopause want extra protein, let’s get a greater understanding of what protein does for the human physique typically.
What Protein Really Does within the Physique
Protein is a naturally occurring substance within the human physique, composed of chemical constructing blocks often called amino acids.
Our our bodies make a few of these amino acids, however there are 9 that we are able to’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 crops. Some plant meals—like soy merchandise, quinoa, and sure leafy greens—comprise all 9 important amino acids, identical to meat does. Others comprise most, however not all.
Opposite to in style perception, this doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t get sufficient protein from crops. It merely means your food regimen must be diversified 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 whole physique operate. Sure, it’s good for constructing muscle—however it’s additionally important for constructing and repairing practically all your cells and tissues. In response to the FDA, proteins are chargeable for your bones, muscular tissues, 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.
In contrast to 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 commonly. When you digest it, it’s used or recycled inside your physique—and also you want extra to maintain every thing operating easily.
I’m not suggesting you always must be consuming protein, however making certain that you’ve sufficient regularly is crucial.
How A lot Protein Is Sufficient?
Ladies’s mind well being registered dietitian Barbie Boules recommends that ladies purpose 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 least 82 grams of protein each day.
Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple, a analysis scientist specializing in girls’s well being and health, agrees that it’s best to purpose for no less than 1.2 g per kg or 0.55 g per pound.
Each specialists agree that the present RDA (really useful each day allowance) of 0.8 g/kg is just too low. Additionally they notice 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 lively people, however they’re not vital for everybody both.
For context:
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6 oz hen 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 giant egg = ~6 g
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2 tbsp peanut butter = 8 g
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¼ cup steel-cut oats = 5 g
Primarily, if you happen to’re consuming a a food regimen of largely minimally-processed meals from all kinds of sources, try to be simply tremendous.
Protein and the Menopause Transition
So, what about girls within the menopause transition? Do they actually need 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 knowledge doesn’t again that up.
Each ladies and men lose a small quantity of muscle mass yearly beginning of their thirties. Ladies lose round 0.37% per 12 months, whereas males lose round 0.47% per 12 months. 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 12 months for girls and 0.8–0.98% per 12 months for males.
In response to Dr. Colenso-Semple—quoted in an article for The Vajenda—this is sensible as a result of as we grow old, we’re sometimes much less bodily lively, which impacts muscle loss:
“Relying on the measurement approach, the speed of muscle loss is ~0.05% to ~1% per 12 months. Growing older and diminished bodily exercise typically go hand in hand, so muscle loss in people over 75 tends to be larger than muscle loss in people of their early 60s.”
She additionally notes that, to this point, the proof doesn’t point out that the lower in estrogen—which performs an enormous function within the menopause transition—has any direct impression on muscle loss.
The 2 issues that put some perimenopausal and post-menopausal girls at barely greater threat for muscle loss are decreased bodily exercise and having much less lean muscle to start with.
In case you’re beginning with much less muscle, you don’t have as a lot to lose.
Protein Alone Received’t Construct Muscle
We all know protein is crucial for constructing muscle—however protein alone received’t make your muscular tissues develop.
You may’t eat your approach to extra muscle.
If that have been true, individuals on the carnivore food regimen can be ripped with out ever setting foot in a health club.
With a purpose to really construct muscle, it’s important to add energy coaching. With out rising the load you’re asking your muscular tissues to hold, they received’t develop or get stronger.
So the advice for girls in perimenopause to eat considerably extra protein than Dr. Colenso-Semple’s advised 0.55 g per pound of physique weight is pointless.
What turns into extra necessary as you grow old is staying bodily lively—and ideally including resistance coaching—to forestall and sluggish the method of muscle loss that’s extra related to getting older than menopause itself.
So eat all of the protein you need, however ensure you’re additionally giving your muscular tissues a lift by lifting weights, too.
The Backside Line
Protein is crucial at all ages—however it’s not a magic bullet.
For midlife girls, the mix of satisfactory protein and common energy coaching is what retains your physique sturdy, useful, and succesful for many years to return.
Eat sufficient, transfer your physique, raise 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 protecting protein particularly: https://podcasts.apple.com/il/podcast/ep-5-is-protein-over-rated/id1809853430?i=1000709352461
