New research has found that eating peanut butter every day helps to boost muscle health in older Australians.
A world-first clinical trial by researchers at Deakin University’s Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN) found that participants who ate a heaped tablespoon of natural peanut butter daily for six months gained muscle power and muscle protein, and the increased intake of protein and unsaturated fat did not result in weight gain.
Research lead Associate Professor Sze-Yen Tan said the findings show that peanut butter can be an easy and affordable way to improve nutrition and muscle health in older adults who are at high risk of falls due to muscle weakness.
“Exercise and resistance training are often used to help older adults maintain their muscle power,” Associate Professor Tan said.
“Our study shows that eating commercially available natural peanut butter, that has minimal added sugar, as a snack or part of a meal, can be used in combination with this type of training to further enhance muscle power and improve nutrition for older people.”
The findings of the Older Individuals after Nut Supplementation (COINS) study have been published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle (JCSM).
The six-month study, funded by the Peanut Institute (USA), involved 120 adults, aged from 66 to 89 years who were living independently in their community but at risk for falls. Half the participants were randomly allocated to the intervention group to eat 43 grams of natural peanut butter each day, while the remaining were asked to maintain their usual lifestyles.
“Participants were happy to eat the required amount of peanut butter and, after six months, they were able to complete a five-time sit-to-stand test faster than the group that did not eat the peanut butter,” Associate Professor Tan said.
“Being able to complete the test faster means greater muscle power. Muscle power allows older people to do everyday things such as climb stairs and stand up from a chair. It also lowers the risk of falls, which is a common reason for loss of independence, reduced quality of life, and even premature death.
“We often think of nutrition supplements when we want to improve dietary intake, but these can be expensive, and the taste can be unfamiliar and unpalatable to older people.
“This study shows that peanut butter can be an accessible, affordable and palatable alternative to commercial oral nutrition supplements.
“Peanut butter is a naturally rich source of nutrients such as protein, healthy fats and antioxidants that reduce inflammation and muscle breakdown. It is also a familiar food with the butter form more suitable for people with dentition issues who might struggle to eat whole nuts.”
Associate Professor Tan said further research would explore whether eating nuts combined with resistance training could improve overall physical function.
