The Association Between Protein Intake and Healthy Aging

by | Feb 14, 2024 | 2024, Aging, Proteins

Written by Harold Oster, MD. Results suggest that dietary protein intake, especially plant protein, in middle age is associated with healthy aging in female nurses.

Increased protein intake has been associated with several health benefits in the elderly, including muscle strength1, bone health2, and physical function3. Studies on the association between protein intake and cognitive function have been mixed4. Plant protein intake may be more beneficial than animal protein in lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease and overall mortality5.

Andres V. Ardisson Korat et al. studied the association between protein intake and healthy aging. The authors selected participants from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), a large, prospective investigation into the risk factors of chronic medical conditions in female nurses6. Participants were included if in 1984, defined as the baseline, they were younger than 60 years old and free of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, kidney failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Parkinson’s Disease, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. As part of the NHS, information was gathered at baseline and every two years by questionnaire until 2016, assessing demographics, diet, medical history, subjective memory, and possible confounding variables. Healthy aging was defined as being free of the above medical conditions, having no impairment in subjective memory or physical function (no limitations in moderate activities assessed with the Medical Outcomes Study SF-367), and being in good mental health, measured with the Geriatric Depression Scale-158. Protein intake, including total, animal, dairy, and plant protein, was calculated from the 1984 and 1986 questionnaires.

The authors noted the following:

  • Based on inclusion criteria, data from 48,762 participants was analyzed.
  • 3721 participants maintained healthy aging throughout the study.
  • After adjustment for body mass index and all covariables, total and plant protein consumption was associated with higher odds of healthy aging for every 3% energy increment. (5% and 31% respectively)
  • After mutual adjustment of the effects of animal and plant protein sources, the intakes of animal, dairy, and plant protein were associated with higher odds of healthy aging for each 3% energy increment. (7%, 14%, and 38% respectively)
  • Total and animal protein intake were associated with a higher risk of developing a chronic disease.
  • Dairy and plant protein intake were each associated with a lower risk of developing a chronic disease.
  • Animal and plant protein intake were associated with higher odds of being free of physical limitations. (5% and 41% respectively)
  • After adjustment for covariates, no protein intake group was associated with the absence of memory complaints.
  • Plant protein intake was associated with higher odds of having a good mental status.

Results suggest that protein intake, especially plant protein, is associated with healthy aging in middle-aged female nurses. Limitations include the following: the assessment of diet by questionnaire; the participants were primarily white females, limiting the generalizability of the findings; the possibility that participants with medical or cognitive disorders were less likely to return questionnaires, resulting in survivorship bias; and the possibility of residual confounding.

Source: Korat, Andres V. Ardisson, M. Kyla Shea, Paul F. Jacques, Paola Sebastiani, Molin Wang, A. Heather Eliassen, Walter C. Willett, and Qi Sun. “Dietary protein intake in midlife in relation to healthy aging–results from the prospective Nurses’ Health Study cohort.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2024).

© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Society for Nutrition. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Click here to read the full text study.

Posted February 13, 2024.

Harold Oster, MD graduated from medical school in Miami, Florida in 1992 and moved to Minnesota in 2004. After more than 25 years of practicing Internal Medicine, he recently retired. Dr. Oster is especially interested in nutrition, weight management, and disease prevention. Visit his website at haroldoster.com.

References:

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