Why women have different protein nutrition needs at different life stages

Written by Dr. Rob Kelly - Chief Scientific Officer at TEO

The slowing down of metabolism and how the body converts food and drink into energy as we age is well established (1). In addition to age related lifestyle changes is the basic biological principle that even at rest muscle uses more energy than fat, actually up to 3 times more (2). This means that as our proportion of muscle to fat in the body changes, our rate of energy burning, and so our metabolism slows. This effect is exaggerated for women who tend to have a higher proportion of fat than men, and is then made more complex by hormonal changes with age. Unfortunately, for postmenopausal women, metabolism is further slowed as lower oestrogen levels reduce energy consumption and dysregulate fat metabolism (2).

Of course, there are many more factors that change with age in addition to a slowing metabolism, however, protein nutrition has an important role to play in women's metabolism at different stages.

Does our need for protein change during different life stages?

Absolutely. The general trend of loss of muscle mass as we age is well recognised and this directly translates to a need for a greater proportion of protein in the diet (3), up to 25% more per kg of body mass compared to younger adults. The more severe form of this is sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass in older adults) and several protein-rich medical foods exist to address this condition, however, the general trend of a need for a greater proportion of protein in the diet as we age remains. For women, the lower circulating levels of oestrogen further exaggerates the loss of skeletal muscle (4) and so increases the protein requirement.

So should I just eat more protein?

Yes, but not all protein is created equal. To help maintain lean body mass, proteins rich in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) like isoleucine, leucine, and valine are important. Dairy proteins have this, and for those avoiding dairy then sheep milk is a rich source of BCAAs for building lean body mass (5). Collagen is generally a poor source of BCAAs but a more complete form of collagen has been created (6) that provides additional BCAAs. Cystine-rich proteins have been shown to increase lean body mass to a greater degree than dairy proteins (7). See which protein-rich foods contain all three BCAAs and discover their additional health benefits in our handy guide here.

But life stages have lots more challenges than just lean body mass?

Changes in hormonal balance and ongoing stresses from diet, lifestyle and the environment create a range of different challenges during different stages of life. Providing the body with the right protein, and the amino acids that this is built from, is an important part of enabling the body to meet those challenges.

For example, tyrosine is an amino acid found in some proteins that the body uses to create dopamine, a hormone and neurotransmitter the body uses to combat stress. Tyrosine-rich proteins have been shown to double the amount of dopamine in the brain (8), enabling it to better cope with emotional stresses of young adult life.

The impact of chronic inflammation on joints and other systems in the body can become more apparent later in life. The body uses glutathione and taurine chloramine inside cells to combat inflammation. Proteins with sulfur-rich amino acids such as cystine boost the body's ability to produce glutathione and taurine to combat inflammation (9).

So protein needs do vary during different stages of a woman's life as metabolism, hormone balance and lifestyle impacts vary. Ensuring that the amino acid balance of protein is best suited to the life stage gives the body the best chance of addressing the specific challenge at each stage.

Summary & Recommendation

Scientific research clearly highlights that protein and amino acid requirements vary significantly for women at different life stages, driven by metabolic adaptations, hormonal fluctuations, and physiological changes. Specifically, targeted amino acid profiles, such as increased BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, valine) for muscle maintenance and sulphur-rich amino acids (cystine) for inflammation support, play a crucial role in addressing these evolving nutritional needs.

The Everee Women range is scientifically formulated with amino acid profiles tailored to the unique biological requirements of women at each life stage. Backed by peer-reviewed evidence, each Everee Women formulation ensures optimal amino acid availability, enhancing your body's ability to manage age-related metabolic changes and maintain strength, vitality, and health through every phase of life.

Explore scientifically-backed nutrition designed specifically for women's needs.

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References

1. Mayo Clinic - Metabolism and Weight Loss
2. MDPI - Metabolism and Hormonal Changes in Women
3. Journal of the American College of Nutrition - Protein Needs with Age
4. Cambridge University Press - Female Hormones and Muscle Metabolism
5. Frontiers in Nutrition - Sheep Milk and BCAAs
6. Everee Women - Active Ageing Support Collagen
7. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition - Cystine-rich Protein and Lean Mass
8. ScienceDirect - Tyrosine and Dopamine
9. MDPI - Sulfur-rich Proteins and Inflammation