Which nutrition strategy helps prevent sarcopenia in older adults?

• A. Restrict protein to protect kidney function.
• B. Focus only on calorie intake, not protein.
• C. High-protein diet with no exercise.
• D. Adequate protein intake (often >1.0–1.2 g/kg/day), sufficient energy intake, vitamin D and calcium, plus resistance exercise.

Answer: (D)

Preventing sarcopenia mainly comes from giving the muscles enough fuel and the right stimulus to grow, through adequate protein and energy intake combined with resistance exercise. As people age, muscles respond less to protein, so a higher daily protein intake is helpful to support muscle protein synthesis—about 1.0–1.2 g per kilogram of body weight per day. Equally important is enough overall calories so protein isn’t diverted to energy; without sufficient energy, muscle breakdown can still occur even with adequate protein. Vitamins and minerals support the process: vitamin D helps muscle function, and calcium supports bone health, which is important for safe and effective movement.

Resistance exercise provides the necessary muscular stimulus to build or maintain strength and size; when you pair this with adequate protein and energy and good vitamin D and calcium status, the anabolic response is maximized. The other options miss essential parts of this strategy: restricting protein deprives muscles of the building blocks; focusing only on calories ignores the need for protein; and a high-protein diet without any resistance training lacks the stimulus needed to induce muscle growth and strength gains.