Good nutrition is important for everybody, but even more essential as we enter our golden years. It is often a time when nutrient intake can be compromised, yet the demand for good nutrition is ever-present to maintain healthy muscle, brain health and cardiovascular health to name a few. We’ve put together a few tips on how Isagenix products can help to meet these nutrient requirements to live a longer and healthier life.

Whey Protein + Vitamin D = better muscle preservation

Scientists have long known that age-related loss of muscle tissue can be slowed through a number of nutritional strategies. These include consuming an adequate amount of protein per meal and using high-quality protein with readily available essential amino acids.

One essential amino acid that’s particularly important is leucine, due to its role in stimulating muscle protein synthesis. Whey protein, which is naturally rich in leucine, has been shown to stimulate muscle protein synthesis (the growth of new muscle) when consumed at 25-30 grams during a meal.

Another nutritional strategy for maintaining muscle in older adults is supplementing with vitamin D. It’s common for older adults to have a low status of the vitamin, which plays an important role in muscle protein metabolism.

In a recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition, the combination of whey protein and vitamin D helped to increase muscle in healthy older men (1). In the double-blind trial, researchers randomised 24 healthy older men (ages 67-74) to either breakfast supplemented with 21 grams of leucine-enriched whey protein combined with 800 IU vitamin D for six weeks or a flavoured placebo drink.

After six weeks, they found that the subjects who consumed the whey and vitamin D had significantly higher fractional synthesis rates (the growth rate of new muscle) compared to the control group and gained significantly more lean mass, predominantly as leg lean mass.

One of the cornerstones of an Isagenix System is easy and accessible good nutrition, particularly with products like IsaLean™ Shake and IsaLean PRO Shake, combined with the complete nutrition system provided in Complete Essentials™ with IsaGenesis™. An IsaLean or IsaLean PRO Shake will provide 24 g or 36 g of premium quality whey protein respectively (which includes 2-3 g of leucine) and a twice-daily dose of Complete Essentials with IsaGenesis will deliver 1000 IU of Vitamin D.

Creatine = better brain, bone & body

Athletes have used creatine as an extra competitive edge for over two decades. But new research suggests creatine’s benefits reach far beyond athletic performance. Recent studies have suggested that benefits can be seen on lean muscle tissue, making it a go-to for anyone over 50 who exercises 2-3 times per week and is looking to maintain and gain strong muscle tissue (2). The use of creatine has also been found to offer other benefits, including bone and brain health (3). However, the mechanisms are not well understood, and scientists are seeking to understand more about the processes. It may be that creatine levels support a greater anabolic stimulus to muscles and work to either directly or indirectly support the process of bone remodelling (3).

The effects on brain health are also quite interesting. They are not exclusive to older individuals, as creatine taken by young female vegetarians has also resulted in better memory (4). The research suggests that low creatine levels in the brain could be a factor in mental fatigue (4).

Based on the evidence, 3-6 grams per day is enough to raise muscle creatine levels in active individuals, including those over 50. You can get all of the creatine that you need by using AMPED™ Power on a daily basis. Each scoop provides 3g of creatine to meet these requirements.

Nitrates = cardiovascular support

Studies have consistently shown that using nitrate-rich vegetable concentrates can improve cardiovascular fitness and exercise performance. A group of scientists from the Netherlands suggest that there’s an obvious reason for these performance benefits—we’re just not getting enough vegetables in our daily diet.

In a recent review paper, researchers pointed out that our main supply of dietary nitrates comes from either green leafy or root vegetables, like spinach, rocket, celery and beetroot, yet most of us don’t eat enough to see benefits (5). “The proposed benefits of dietary nitrate supplementation may very well be observed because a healthy diet is not yet achieved in most people,” the authors reported. They reasoned that the reported benefits of nitrate supplementation are likely observed because habitual nitrate intake is so low.

While they are not a replacement for vegetable intake, supplementation with dietary nitrates has some notable advantages, particularly with benefits to the cardiovascular system (6). With the knowledge that vegetable-sourced nitrates had superior benefits compared to synthetic nitrates, Isagenix developed AMPED NOx with a concentrated nitrate-rich vegetable extract including beets, red spinach, and celery. With an adequate intake of nitrate-rich vegetables for cardiovascular health, AMPED NOx can also be a valuable source of dietary nitrates.

Making smart nutrition choices is an important step towards a long and healthy life. Whether your goals include maintaining a healthy weight or getting the most out of your workouts, Isagenix provides nutritional solutions that can complement your healthy lifestyle choices with science-backed products to help you reach your goals.

References

  1. Chanet A, Verlaan S, Salles J, et al. Supplementing Breakfast with a Vitamin D and Leucine-Enriched Whey Protein Medical Nutrition Drink Enhances Postprandial Muscle Protein Synthesis and Muscle Mass in Healthy Older Men. J Nutr. 2017 Aug 23. [Epub ahead of print]
  2. Chilibeck P, Kaviani M, Candow D, Zello G. (2017). Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysis. Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine. Volume 2017:8. 213—226. 10.2147/OAJSM.S123529.
  3. Gualano B, Rawson ES, Candow DG, Chilibeck PD. Creatine supplementation in the aging population: effects on skeletal muscle, bone and brain. Amino Acids. Springer Vienna; 2016;48:1793–805.
  4. Benton D, Donohoe R. The influence of creatine supplementation on the cognitive functioning of vegetarians and omnivores. Br J Nutr. 2011;105:1100–5.
  5. Van der Avoort CMT, Van Loon LJC, Hopman MTE et al. Increasing vegetable intake to obtain the health promoting and ergogenic effects of dietary nitrate. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2018 Mar 20.
  6. Stanaway L, Rutherfurd-Markwick K, Page R et al. Performance and Health Benefits of Dietary Nitrate Supplementation in Older Adults: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2017 Oct 27;9(11). pii: E1171.