Which Protein Powder Should You Be Using In Menopause?

If you are over 35, your body is naturally breaking down.

Our muscles are breaking down and we become weaker putting us at risk of falls

Our bone density breaks down and we are at risk of brittle and weak bones

Our immune system breaks down and we are vulnerable to viruses and disease

Our skin elasticity breaks down showing us a drooping face and body

Our metabolism breaks down putting us at risk of weight gain

Our brain health may break down putting us at risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimers

Our posture breaks down putting us at risk of injuries

Our eyesight worsens with a trip to specsavers on the calendar

Hard of hearing that requires a hearing aid or sending your family crazy repeating themselves and often isolates us from community and noise.

Our pelvic floor (thanks kids) weakens where we need to wear pads, feeling anxious about making it ‘in time’ to the toilet …

The list goes on.

To slow all of this down, it is vital to maintain our strength, our lean muscle mass and tone.

This will help all of those things I just mentioned above.

To maintain our strength, our body requires a 3 step approach.

• Exercise our muscles (resistance training)

• Feed our muscles (grow to stay strong)

• Rest to repair

Healthy ageing.org states that the most common reason women enter nursing homes is some type of disability that stops them from doing at least 3 things in everyday living such as dressing themselves and having a shower.

80-90% require some form of assistance to walk.

Maintaining and regaining our strength midlife after 35 is a game changer

Protein powder is a simple and easy way to ensure you are getting sufficient protein on a daily basis along with your protein sources of meat, dairy and eggs.

Here are my recommendations:

Whey Protein Isolate

This type of protein powder is 90-95% pure protein. It is easily digestible and can assist with muscle growth, repair . It may also help improve body composition, reduce appetite, decrease inflammation, and support heart health.

Casein Protein

Casein is a type of protein found in milk that is digested and absorbed more slowly than whey protein, which can reduce the rate of muscle protein breakdown. It may also be more effective at increasing muscle growth than some other types of protein, including soy and wheat.

Egg White Protein Powder

Egg white protein is a good source of essential amino acids and is rich in leucine. Though more research is needed on the potential benefits, egg white protein supplements may be a good alternative to whey or casein for those with dairy allergies.

Soy Protein Powder

When comparing whey and soy protein for muscle-building purposes, whey protein has the upper hand in more than one way. A study published in 2013 in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" found that whey protein was absorbed more quickly, had higher concentrations of amino acids important for muscle building and therefore resulted in greater muscle protein synthesis than soy protein. Additionally, whey protein has beneficial effects on hormones that can help build muscle, whereas soy protein does not, according to another 2013 study published in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition."

Pea Protein Powder

Pea protein is a good source of BCAAs and contains all nine essential amino acids. It may also be comparable to whey protein in terms of its ability to increase fullness, hormones and improve body composition, strength, and performance when combined with exercise.

Hemp Protein Powder

Hemp protein is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and several essential amino acids. Some research suggests that it may also be well-digested, but more studies are needed. Hemp protein powder does not contain all 9 of the essential amino acids.

Brown Rice Protein Powder

Rice protein contains all essential amino acids but is not considered a complete protein. Therefore I would recommend you use one of the above powders.

Whey Protein Concentrate

Whey protein concentrate may retain some lactose, making it a bad choice for those that are intolerant to lactose. Whey concentrate powder consists of up to 80% protein by weight. The remaining 20% of the whey concentrate powder contains carbohydrates and fats. This needs to be taken into consideration when designing your meals if you are being conscious of weight control.

To summarise, Whey protein isolate powder has the greatest impact on increasing your metabolic rate and supporting your strength, muscle tone and mass.

Researchers from Switzerland recently compared Whey Isolate, Casein and Soy protein to discover if one raised the metabolism more than another.

Whey Protein Isolate induced a 14.4% increase in metabolic rate.

Casein 12%

Soy 11.6% increase in metabolic rate.

The takeaway is to eat enough protein as ageing women to support our metabolism, our health, fitness, lean muscle mass and slow down ageing and prevent entering a nursing home.

Yours in health

Dana Eden