Sarcopenia
Protein intake and physical activity are important stimuli for muscle protein synthesis. A number of expert groups have proposed an increase in dietary protein recommendations for older age groups to 1.0-1.2 g/kg body weight per day.
Key nutrient supplementation in older adults is of interest in the prevention of sarcopenia and frailty, since it is a simple, low-cost treatment approach without major side effects.
Folate
The U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) updated Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and Tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) for folate in 2001. Collectively the EARs, RDAs, AIs, and ULs are referred to as Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) refers to the collective set of information as Dietary Reference Values, with Population Reference Intake (PRI) instead of RDA, and Average Requirement instead of EAR. AI and UL defined the same as in United States. For women and men over age 18 the PRI is set at 330 μg/day. PRI for pregnancy is 600 μg/day, for lactation 500 μg/day. For children ages 1–17 years the PRIs increase with age from 120 to 270 μg/day. These values differ somewhat from the U.S. RDAs. The United Kingdom's Dietary Reference Value for folate, set by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) in 1991, is 200 μg/day for adults.