Nutritional tools for staying active while aging

“The older you get, the older you want to get.” These are words of wisdom from Rolling Stone guitarist Keith Richards, who knows a thing or two about survival under daunting conditions—at 75 years old, Keith still rocks out on the big stage in miraculous fashion. For many consumers today, it is not just wanting to survive to an older age but wanting to be active and vibrant along the way.

Baby Boomers and older generations are turning to exercise and diet to stay healthy in their twilight years. Several sports nutrition ingredients offer researched benefits to help these consumers stay fit and recover from exercise.

Protein and energy are among the top ingredient categories for the healthy aging populations, while bar and food products are preferred delivery methods. Older adults may have higher protein intake requirements, as muscle protein synthesis (MPS) rates decline, and muscle loss tends to pick up after the age of 40.

Creatine can help not only with energy levels, but it can also contribute to improving body composition by promoting lean muscle development. Vitamin D and calcium also are multifaceted, contributing to both muscle development and bone mineral management.

Omega-3s’ one-two punch is on muscle building and inflammation control. Managing inflammation and oxidative stress is important for recovery, which is an important phase of sports nutrition often overlooked by active consumers. Curcumin and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) are two of the many anti-inflammatory dietary ingredients researched for active populations and exercise recovery. Glutathione is the most abundant of the body’s antioxidants, and healthy aging active consumers may benefit from taking glutathione supplements, although bioavailability is a question. Fortunately, regular exercise may help boost the body’s ability to increase and maintain glutathione levels.

For more details on these and other ingredients, check out the full article, “Ingredients for active aging,” in the Healthy Aging digital issue.