Making And Maintaining Muscle (NAPSA)—The good newsis if you're like most Americans, you don’t need to worry about eating enoughprotein. High-protein diets, protein powders, supplements and shakes may be popular but there’s no solid evidence that most Ameri- cans need more protein. Most of us already eat all we need, and re then some. Proteins are actually chains of small molecules called amino acids. Your body can make some but not all of these building blocks. The ones you can’t make are called essential amino acids. a Proteins, found in fish, meat and certain vegetables, are the major component of muscle. They also Fortunately, says Dr. Van S. Hubbard, director of the Division perform other crucial activities in every cell of your body. Health, “since protein is such a proteins can have low amounts of them. Vegetarians who don’t eat of Nutrition Research Coordination at the National Institutes of common component of most foods that you eat, if you’re eating a relatively varied diet, you're getting enoughprotein.” Can high-protein diets help you lose weight? “High-protein diets often are associated with a greater sensation of fullness,” Dr. Hubbard says. Long-term studies of these diets have found that most differences in weight loss can be essential amino acids, plant-based eggs or dairy products need to eat protein from a variety of sources to get all the different aminoacids they need. Examples include rice with beans or peanut butter and bread. Some older adults don’t eat enough protein to keep their muscles strong. Maintaining muscle is particularly important as you age. rather than the protein intake Older adults who lose muscle are more likely to fall and have What about protein powders and shakes? The ads say they might also have trouble doing basic things like getting up from a explained by a decreasein calories itself. have essential amino acids that injuries like broken hips. They “but if you’re eating a varied diet, chair, walking up stairs or taking a stroll through the park. See your doctor if you’ve had recent weight loss, muscle fatigue is skimpy, if any, data that it’s bet- These maybe signs you're not eat- the body can’t make. “That is true,” Hubbard says, particularly animal protein, there ter to eat protein in supplement form than in food.” Some people, such as vegetarians, do have to pay attention to the protein in their diets. While animal proteins have all the or a drop in muscle strength. ing enough protein but could be symptomsof other problems. —Adapted from NIH News in Health, a publication of the National Institutes of Health available at newsinhealth.nih.gov.
