Dietary protein is very important for maintaining the health of the elderly. In this study, the effects of plant and animal proteins and mixed protein on skeletal, muscle weakness, and gastrointestinal function were evaluated in natural aging mice. Furthermore, the differences between plant and animal proteins on aging from the perspective of gut microbiota were explored. Female C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into mixed protein group, soy protein group, and whey protein group (n=6/each group). The mice were fed with different protein diets with the same energy supply ratio for 24 weeks. Body mass, aging score, and behavioral experiment were determined to assess the effects of different proteins on aging characteristics in mice. Muscle content, hematoxylin & eosin staining of muscle, and bone mineral density were measured to evaluate muscle and bone health in aging mice. To evaluate the gastrointestinal function, fecal water content, defecation volume, intestinal propulsion rate, and regulatory peptide of the gut in serum were measured. The effects of different proteins on aging symptoms were evaluated overall based on the above indices. The results showed that soybean protein contributed to the stability of body weight and a decrease in the aging score. Additionally, soybean protein improved muscle and bone health characterized by the tight arrangement of muscle fibers, higher bone mineral density, and uniform cortical bone thickness. While whey protein and mixed protein had no significant effect on them. The relative abundances of Bifidobacterium and Fournierella in the gut microbiota were increased in the soybean protein group, which might be associated with muscle and bone health. Therefore, the intake of soy protein is more conducive to improving the aging symptoms.
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