Can middle-aged and elderly people gain muscle by supplementing protein with breakfast? International research reveals the flipped truth

Middle-aged and elderly people often supplement their breakfast protein with eggs, soy milk and other foods; situational photo. (Picture taken from Freepik)

[Compiled by Chen Chengliang/Comprehensive Report] Will supplementing more protein in breakfast help middle-aged and elderly people increase muscle mass? A recently published systematic review and meta-analysis compiled data from 7 randomized controlled trials involving a total of 305 adults over 60 years old. It was not found that additional protein supplementation at breakfast can clearly improve muscle mass, muscle strength or physical function.

This study was published in the international journal "Food Science & Nutrition" on July 24 and was jointly conducted by researchers from Nagoya City University, Showa Medical University and other institutions in Japan. The research team screened relevant literature from medical databases and included randomized controlled trials that compared breakfast intake of protein or amino acids with a control group to evaluate whether additional supplementation of nutrients can help maintain or increase muscle mass in the elderly.

There was no clear improvement in muscle mass, grip strength, or walking speed.

Of the 7 included trials, 5 with 181 participants measured lean body mass, 6 with 274 participants assessed grip strength, and 3 with 157 participants measured lower limb extensor strength. The meta-analysis did not find that additional protein supplementation at breakfast could clearly improve these indicators. The study also looked at sit-to-stand tests and walking speed and again found no clear differences.

The research team pointed out that breakfast is usually the meal with the lowest protein intake of the day, so some people have proposed that moving part of the protein intake to breakfast may help muscle protein synthesis. However, this analysis failed to prove that simply taking extra protein in the morning can increase muscle mass or improve physical function in middle-aged and elderly people.

The study also found that in some trials without exercise, after taking extra protein or amino acids at breakfast, the subjects' food intake throughout the day was reduced. This result does not mean that protein will cause muscle loss, nor can it be concluded that protein supplementation at breakfast is harmful, but it reminds that additional supplementation of nutrients may affect the intake of other meals.

The number of trials and participants in this meta-analysis was limited, and some studies were at risk of bias, so the authors rated the overall certainty of the evidence as low. Research is not yet sufficient to determine whether supplementing breakfast with protein has actual benefits for the elderly's muscle health. More larger-scale, more rigorously designed randomized controlled trials are still needed to confirm.