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High-quality pea protein – studies show benefits for muscle mass maintenance and healthy ageing
Globally, people are living longer and they are getting older faster.
Asia is experiencing rapid population ageing, with countries like Japan, China and South Korea seeing a significant increase in senior populations. By 2050 in the Asia Pacific region (APAC), the population of those aged 60-plus will triple to 1.3 billion, representing one in four people.1
As life expectancy continues to rise, healthy ageing becomes a key focus. A survey of APAC consumers found that being physically active and living a free and independent life are top priorities for those in this demographic.2
To achieve this, the body must maintain muscle mass. This requires being physically mobile because regular activity stimulates muscle protein synthesis which helps repair and rebuild muscle fibres. Without sufficient movement, muscles weaken, and this can lead to health conditions like sarcopenia.
However, as the body ages, it can develop metabolic resistance.
“This is a diminished ability to respond to metabolic stimuli, such as exercise or diet, particularly in relation to muscle growth,” says Caroline Perreau, Nutrition and Health Research Manager – R&D Life Sciences at Roquette.
“Metabolic resistance can lead to poor muscle quality, a decrease of muscle mass and a decrease in the ability to move.”
Age-related muscle mass loss and function is known as sarcopenia; it is a natural part of ageing, typically beginning around the age of 30 and accelerating with each decade. Older individuals display a diminished muscle protein synthesis (MPS) response to protein ingestion, referred to as age-related anabolic resistance, which contributes to the progression of sarcopenia.
This gradual decline in muscle mass leads to a reduction in strength, mobility and overall physical function. Without preventative care, it can significantly impact an individual’s ability to perform daily activities, increase the risk of falls and fractures, and lead to a loss of independence.
Quality protein for maintaining muscle mass
Inadequate protein intake is one of the causes that can lead to sarcopenia as the body ages and dietary intervention can help slow this muscle loss and mitigate the risks of the condition.
Supplementation with whey protein can present dietary challenges for uptake, such as lactose intolerance. This can limit its use for those who may experience digestive discomfort, particularly older adults who tend to reduce their intake of animal-source proteins. And as the need for more sustainable food production practices grows, there is a need for quality plant-based proteins that deliver the equivalent or superior results.
“We cannot stop the process of ageing, but its effects can be slowed down or compensated by increasing the quantity of proteins consumed,” says Perreau. “In order to build new protein in the muscle, we must consider both the quantity of dietary protein, as well as the quality.”
Efficacy of pea protein in clinical studies
While the unprecedented rate of ageing is a challenge, it can also be an opportunity for innovations in new products that cater to the specific needs of a growing elderly population.
Pea protein is a high-quality protein that demonstrates a well-balanced amino acid profile, high digestibility and high nutritional value. Studies have found its inclusion in dietary supplements and functional foods to be effective in reducing the onset of sarcopenia and age-related muscle loss by providing a high-quality, plant-based source of protein.
Pea protein is rich in leucine which is critical for muscle protein synthesis and helps stimulate muscle repair and growth and in arginine, which has an anabolic effect. Studies have also found that foods supplemented with pea protein are enjoyable to eat and effective in adherence.
A 2024 randomised controlled trial analysed the impact of consuming higher-quality versus lower-quality protein supplements (whey, NUTRALYS® S85 Plus pea and collagen) above the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) on integrated MPS rates in older males.3 The results showed that integrated MPS was increased during supplemental with whey (1.59 ± 0.11 %/d; P < 0.001) and pea (1.59 ± 0.14 %/d; P < 0.001) when compared with RDA (1.46 ± 0.09 %/d for the whey group; 1.46 ± 0.10 %/d for the pea group); it remained unchanged with collagen.
To gain an understanding of how plant proteins compare to animal proteins in terms of their ability to support muscle health, and help develop dietary recommendations for older individuals, a 2024 study evaluated the potential of pea proteins compared to whey proteins.4 Variations in plasma amino acid concentrations were measured in young and older adults aged 20-28 and 65-81 years old who were given pea proteins (NUTRALYS® S85 Plus) or whey proteins, either alone or in a standardized meal. The effect of amino acid concentrations on protein synthesis in C2C12 myotubes was then determined.
The results showed that pea protein isolates can be considered good candidates for plant protein-based optimization of nutritional intake, even in older subjects. The study’s outcomes led the authors to postulate that pea and whey proteins have the same qualities in terms of their properties to maintain muscle protein synthesis. It could therefore be recommended that older people who do not consume enough protein from animal sources increase their consumption of this type of plant protein.
Pea protein demonstrates hedonic satisfaction
While inclusion of daily doses of protein can promote healthy ageing, protein supplementation can be compromised by a lack of adherence among a senior demographic who typically have lower appetites and require gentle foods to support challenges such as swallowing. As such, protein-enriched products are often abandoned because of the quantities required to be eaten or because the taste or texture is considered unappetising or too challenging.
In order to establish the appeal and likely uptake of foods supplemented with pea protein, a study of elderly volunteers aged 70-90 years old evaluated the perception of the hedonic qualities of a 125g serving taken every two days of apple compote enriched with NUTRALYS® pea protein (5.1%), NUTRALYS® W hydrolysed wheat gluten (0.9%) and NUTRIOSE® FB 06 soluble fibre (6.3%), and the changes in that perception due to repeated consumption.9
Nine out of 10 volunteers appreciated the taste of the fibre and pea protein-enhanced compote, with evaluations of ‘rather pleasant’ to ‘very pleasant’ given by more than 80% of the volunteers. This taste adherence was maintained by eight out of 10 volunteers over three weeks of regular consumption without change in hedonic satisfaction. Moreover, such consumption did not induce any adverse change in the digestive comfort and tolerance and did not produce any directly attributable adverse effects.
When associated with traditional foodstuff, this formulation was shown to provide an alternative solution to the usual nutritional supplements by diversifying food, thereby helping to elicit greater adherence among the elderly.
Pea protein may prevent rapid biological ageing
Metabolic health refers to the proper functioning of metabolic processes in the body, including the regulation of blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure.
Given the significance that metabolic health plays in healthy ageing, and that metabolic resistance can lead to poor muscle quality, an in vitro study measured the effect of plant-based protein, and especially of pea protein, on metabolic health.10 Various potential bioactivities generated by plant-based proteins, including whey protein as an animal protein reference and five grades of pea protein, were screened in in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion (SGD).
“The study concluded that two grades of pea protein and hydrolysed pea protein were among the best candidates demonstrating an effect on the energy homeostasis, antioxidative activity and anti-hypertensive activity,” says Perreau.
Beyond this study, pea protein also demonstrated beneficial effect on satiety and blood glucose management in clinical studies. “And we know these activities may support healthy ageing.”11,12 Maintaining good metabolic health through a healthy lifestyle may maintain resilience and prevent rapid biological ageing.”
Specialised nutrition and supplementation
Roquette is a global leader in plant-based ingredients and believes that nature has the answer to provide people with the food, nutrition and health they need, at all stages of life.
The company’s portfolio for specialised nutrition includes NUTRALYS® pea protein for sarcopenia prevention, which not only supports health needs of an ageing population but also delivers pleasurable eating experiences.
References
1. United Nations, FPA.
2. Herbalife Nutrition, 2020 Asia Pacific Healthy Ageing Survey.
3. McKendry J.; et al. The effects of whey, pea, and collagen protein supplementation beyond the recommended dietary allowance on integrated myofibrillar protein synthetic rates in older males: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2024 Jul;120(1):34-46. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.05.009. Epub 2024 May 16. PMID: 38762187; PMCID: PMC11291473.
4. Salles J.; et al. Circulating Amino Acid Concentration after the Consumption of Pea or Whey Proteins in Young and Older Adults Affects Protein Synthesis in C2C12 Myotubes. Nutrients. 2024 Aug 27;16(17):2870. doi: 10.3390/nu16172870. PMID: 39275186; PMCID: PMC11397729.
5. Babault N.; et al. Pea proteins oral supplementation promotes muscle thickness gains during resistance training: a double-blind, randomized, Placebo-controlled clinical trial vs. Whey protein. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015 Jan 21;12(1):3. doi: 10.1186/s12970-014-0064-5. PMID: 25628520; PMCID: PMC4307635.
6. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.5555/19941409792
7. Guillin FM.; et al. Real ileal amino acid digestibility of pea protein compared to casein in healthy humans: a randomized trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022 Feb 9;115(2):353-363. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab354. PMID: 34665230.
8. https://www.sprim.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Evaluation-of-nutritional-quality-of-a-novel-pea-protein.pdf
9. Allaert FA.; et al. Evaluation of adherence by elderly nursing home patients to regular consumption of apple compote enriched with protein and soluble fiber. Aging Clin Exp Res 28, 189–195 (2016).
10. Dugardin C.; et al. Explorative Screening of Bioactivities Generated by Plant-Based Proteins after In Vitro Static Gastrointestinal Digestion. Nutrients. 2020 Dec 5;12(12):3746. doi: 10.3390/nu12123746. PMID: 33291464; PMCID: PMC7762166.
11. Re R.; et al. The Satiating Effect of NUTRALYS® Pea Protein Leads to Reduced Energy intake in Healthy Humans. J Nutrition Health Food Sci 4(3): 1-10. 2016.
12. Thondre PS.; et al. Co-ingestion of NUTRALYS® pea protein and a high-carbohydrate beverage influences the glycaemic, insulinaemic, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) responses: preliminary results of a randomised controlled trial. Eur J Nutr. 2021 Sep;60(6):3085-3093. doi: 10.1007/s00394-021-02481-8.
