A study in the journal Sports Medicine performed a meta-analysis to assess the effects of protein supplementation combined with resistance training on body composition and muscle strength in the older population. Five studies were reviewed.

The authors reported that protein supplementation combined with resistance training was associated with greater increases in lean body mass and muscle mass compared to resistance training alone. But they found no differences in muscle strength increases.

“Protein supplementation associated with resistance training induces greater increases in lean body mass compared with resistance training alone. In addition, it is suggested that the use of protein supplementation enhances gains in muscle mass but does not promote greater increases in muscle strength,” they wrote.

Protein supplies the raw material for muscles and bones. It’s found in a wide variety of foods including nuts, seeds, and beans, as well as animal products. Protein is made up of amino acids, which are the true building blocks that support the structure of the body.

I routinely check protein levels in patients’ serum. When they are low, I counsel them on how to increase their intake of protein in their diet.

Far too many Americans eat a diet that’s high in refined carbohydrates and deficient of protein. The single best source of protein is in an organic egg, a single food source that provides all the essential amino acids.

An essential amino acid cannot be manufactured in the body, rather it must be taken in from the diet. A vegetarian or vegan diet is often deficient in protein.

A deficiency of protein leads to a wide variety of medical problems including osteopenia and osteoporosis, fatigue and weakness.

Protein supplements can be used, but I prefer my patients to get the protein they need through their diet. A healthy diet should supply an adequate amount of protein along with organic, pesticide- and insecticide-free food products.