Protein - why you need it in menopause

Protein – why you need it in menopause

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Proteins are one of the three macronutrients needed for optimal health and wellbeing.  Proteins are in fact, important for growth, repair and proper functioning of the body.  It is found in muscle, skin and blood and the most abundant proteins are found in these tissues including collagen, haemoglobin, myosin and actin.  Proteins are the building blocks for almost every tissue in the body.  In order for proteins to do their job efficiently, they are in a constant cycle of breakdown and synthesis, being able to reform into whatever is needed by the body at any given time.  They are important in many processes in the body including cell repair, hormone regulation, muscle development and immunity.

 

Protein Structure and Function in the body

 

Proteins are large, complex molecules made up of smaller units called amino acids, that are linked together by special bonds.  The structure and function of a particular protein is determined by the amino acids in the protein and their sequence in that protein.  

 

Proteins can act as:

 

  • Enzymes
  • Hormones
  • Antibodies
  • Regulators of acid-base balance
  • Regulators of fluid balance
  • Special transporters that move other substances in and out of cells and around the body
  • If needed, they can provide energy by making glucose from amino acids by a process known as gluconeogenesis

 

All proteins are made of amino acids, and in total there are 20 amino acids, classified into two groups, essential and non-essential amino acids.  There are 11 non-essential amino acids, and they are called non-essential because the body can make these from glucose and other substances in the body. The 11 non-essential amino acids are:

 

  • Alanine
  • Arginine
  • Asparagine
  • Aspartic acid
  • Cysteine
  • Glutamic acid
  • Glutamine
  • Glycine
  • Proline
  • Serine
  • Tyrosine

 

There are 9 essential amino acids, and they are essential as the body cannot make these and they must come from our diet. The 9 essential amino acids are:

 

  • Histidine
  • Isoleucine
  • Leucine
  • Lysine
  • Methionine
  • Phenylalanine
  • Threonine
  • Tryptophan
  • Valine

 

Why are proteins important in menopause?

 

Declining oestrogen across the menopausal transition has an impact on muscle loss, also known as sarcopenia and bone loss, otherwise known as osteoporosis.  For this reason, good quality protein is important throughout the day and menopausal women need more protein to assist with preserving muscle mass and strength and bone density. This combined with regular exercise that includes aerobic, strengthening and balancing exercises will protect muscles and bones into the later years.  

 

Protein is abundant in the Australian diet, but not all proteins are created equal.  Good quality proteins provide enough of all the essential amino acids (the ones our body can’t make) required to support all of the processes in the body.  Protein quality is determined by how its digested and its amino acid composition.  All proteins must be digested before they can be broken down into amino acids.  Animal proteins are very efficiently digested at 90-99%, and plant proteins are less so, at 70-90%, with the exception of soy and legumes being over 90%.  However, protein quality is also determined by how well the amino acid profile of any protein food is able to match the needs of the body.  This means that a good quality protein food is determined by how efficiently it is used by the body for the protein breakdown-synthesis cycle.

 

Good quality proteins to include in your diet are:

 

  • Animal proteins – meat, fish, poultry, cheese, eggs, yoghurt and milk
  • Plant proteins – vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains and legumes

 

These plant proteins have diverse amino acids that would be efficiently used by the body for protein synthesis.  Given the abundance of protein in the diet, there is little need for protein supplements to be taken by menopausal women.  Eating a variety of animal and plant proteins combined with exercise to strengthen muscles and bones and prevent sarcopenia and osteoporosis will generally be sufficient.

 

References:

 

Gregorio et al, Adequate dietary protein is associated with better physical performance among post-menopausal women 60-90 years, J Nutr Health Aging, 2014;18(2):155-160

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4433492/

 

Healthline, Menopause Diet: How what you eat affects your symptoms, written Nov 2018

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/menopause-diet#foods-to-avoid

 

Whitney E et al, Understanding Nutrition 2nd Ed, 2014, Ch 6 Proteins: amino acids