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Protein Deficiency – A Concern For Older Adults

When you hear about adding more protein to your diet, you may think that this only applies to body builders and growing children. But did you know that older adults are at high risk for not having enough protein in their diets?

Protein is important for muscle mass, bone health, and healing. According to Judith Graham with Kaiser Health News, older adults frequently lack adequate protein in their diets due to a variety of factors such as financial constraints, difficulty chewing/swallowing, and dental problems. She noted that those older adults who consumed adequate protein were 30% less likely to experience functional decline. So what can you do to keep your protein in a healthy range? Firstly, you should always check with your healthcare provider who can monitor the protein levels in your blood, and can advise you if you need protein supplementation. You can add protein in your diet by eating lean meats, legumes, and some dairy products like Greek yogurt.

Some individuals have to be careful with how much protein they consume, like those who have kidney problems. This is why you should always check with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet.