Protein and Healthy Aging Why Protein Matters as You Age

Why Protein Matters as You Age

Protein is essential for:

Building and repairing muscle
Supporting your immune system
Healing wounds

Many older adults don’t get enough protein:

About 30% of men and 50% of women over age 71 consume inadequate amounts.

As you age, your body uses protein less efficiently, so you need more to maintain muscle mass and strength.

How Much Protein Do You Need?

Recommended intake: 1.5–2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight per day
Example: If you weigh 150 lbs (68 kg), you need about 102–136 grams of protein daily.

Higher protein intake is especially important if you are:

Building or maintaining muscle mass
Recovering from illness or surgery
Experiencing weight loss
Engaging in regular exercise or physical training

Note: Long-term intake should not exceed 2.0 grams/kg/day. If you have advanced chronic kidney disease, intake should not exceed 1.0 grams/kg/day.

Distributing Protein Throughout the Day

How Much Protein You Need

-Aim for 25–40 grams of protein at each meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Consider protein-rich snacks or supplements to reach your daily goal
Consuming 40 grams of protein before bed may help overnight muscle protein synthesis
Consuming excessive amounts of protein at a given meal will only convert to energy storage and will not be used for muscle building.

Best Sources of Protein

Animal Proteins (complete amino acids)

Lean meats (chicken, turkey, beef, pork)
Fish and seafood
Eggs
Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese)

Plant Proteins

Beans (black, pinto, red, white, lima, etc.), split pea, and lentils
Tofu, soy, edamame, and tempeh
Nuts and seeds
Quinoa
Whole grains
Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans

Dairy products are notable for leucine, which stimulates muscle growth.

Plant proteins are the preferred source of protein as they improve blood sugar control and reduce cardiovascular risk. Plant-based proteins generally show the MOST cardiovascular benefit, followed by fish, then unprocessed poultry (chicken/turkey), with red meat (beef/pork) lower and processed meats (bacon/ham/sausage/deli meats) ranking lowest.

It is important also to prioritize plant-based proteins OVER animal-based proteins, because when animal sources are predominant, then less fiber (found in plants) is consumed, which increases the risk for colon cancer.

Protein Supplements

Useful for meeting higher protein targets, especially with reduced appetite or difficulty eating
Whey and casein (dairy-based) are rapidly digested
Plant-based protein powders are available, such as green pea powder

The Role of Protein in Building Muscle

Protein provides amino acids for muscle tissue
Leucine-rich protein triggers muscle protein synthesis (aim for 700–3000 mg leucine per meal)
Resistance exercise and protein intake work together for muscle growth

Why Muscle Matters for Bones and Longevity

Strong muscles:

Protect bones and maintain bone density
Prevent falls and disability
Support metabolic health to limit cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and stroke
Extend healthspan and lifespan, which holds off the effects of age related maladies on daily function and quality of life

Sarcopenia (muscle loss with aging) can be slowed or reversed with proper nutrition and exercise.

The Importance of Resistance Training

Most effective for building and maintaining muscle mass:

Lifting weights or using resistance bands
Bodyweight exercises (push-ups, squats, lunges) 5 Bodyweight Workouts for Men Over 50, No Heavy Weights
Weight machines at the gym

Training goals for older adults:

Frequency: 3-4 sessions per week
Intensity: Use resistance that fatigues muscles by last repetitions
Progressive overload: Increase weight/reps/difficulty over time
Include all major muscle groups

References

Protein and Aging: Practicalities and Practice. Harris S, DePalma J,BarkoukisH. Nutrients. 2025;17(15):2461. doi:10.3390/nu17152461.
Nutritional Interventions: Dietary Protein Needs and Influences on Skeletal Muscle of Older Adults. Campbell WW, Deutz NEP, Volpi E, Apovian CM. The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, BiologicalSciencesand Medical Sciences. 2023;78(Suppl 1):67-72. doi:10.1093/gerona/glad038.
Perspective: Protein Requirements and Optimal Intakes in Aging: Are We Ready to Recommend More Than the Recommended DailyAllowance?.Traylor DA, Gorissen SHM, Phillips SM. Advances in Nutrition (Bethesda, Md.). 2018;9(3):171-182. doi:10.1093/advances/nmy003.
Malnutrition in Adults. Cederholm T,BosaeusI. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2024;391(2):155-165. doi:10.1056/NEJMra2212159.
ACG Clinical Guideline: Nutrition Therapy in the Adult Hospitalized Patient. McClave SA,DiBaiseJK, Mullin GE, Martindale RG. The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2016;111(3):315-34; quiz 335. doi:10.1038/ajg.2016.28.
Nutritional Priorities to Support GLP-1 Therapy for Obesity: A Joint AdvisoryFromthe American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and the Obesity Society. Mozaffarian 12/21/25, 4:13 PM about:blank about:blank 7/9 D, Agarwal M, Aggarwal M, et al. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2025;122(1):344-367. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.04.023.
American College of Sports Medicine Joint Position Statement. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 2016;48(3):543-68. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000000852.
Guidance on Energy and Macronutrients across the Life Span.HeymsfieldSB, Shapses SA. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2024;390(14):1299-1310. doi:10.1056/NEJMra2214275.
Dietary Protein Intake and Human Health. Wu G. Food & Function. 2016;7(3):1251-65. doi:10.1039/c5fo01530h.
Protein and Healthy Aging. Paddon-Jones D, Campbell WW, Jacques PF, et al. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2015;101(6):1339S-1345S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.114.084061.
International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Protein and Exercise. Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.2017;14:20. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8.
5. Facilitating Positive Health Behaviors and Well-Being to Improve Health Outcomes: Standards of Care in Diabetes2025. Diabetes Care. 2025;48(Supplement_1):S86-S127. doi:10.2337/dc25-S005.
Nutritional Strategies for Maintaining Muscle Mass and StrengthFromMiddle Age to Later Life: A Narrative Review. Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Dawson Hughes B, Scott D, Sanders KM, Rizzoli R. Maturitas. 2020;132:57-64. doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2019.11.007. 12/21/25, 4:13 PM about:blank about:blank 8/9
Dietary Protein, Exercise, Ageing and Physical Inactivity: Interactive Influences on Skeletal MuscleProteostasis. Deane CS, Ely IA, Wilkinson DJ, et al. The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 2021;80(2):106-117. doi:10.1017/S0029665120007879.
An Update on Protein, Leucine, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and Vitamin D in the Prevention and Treatment of Sarcopenia and Functional Decline. Tessier AJ, Chevalier S. Nutrients. 2018;10(8):E1099. doi:10.3390/nu10081099.
Nutrition as the Foundation for Successful Aging: A Focus on Dietary Protein and Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids. Hawley AL, Baum JI. Nutrition Reviews. 2024;82(3):389-406. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuad061.
Growing OlderWithHealth and Vitality: A Nexus of Physical Activity, Exercise and Nutrition. Witard OC, McGlory C, Hamilton DL, Phillips SM. Biogerontology. 2016;17(3):529-46. doi:10.1007/s10522-016-9637-9.
Increasing Muscle Mass in Elders Through Diet and Exercise: A Literature Review of Recent RCTs.VoulgaridouG, Papadopoulou SD, Spanoudaki M, et al. Foods (Basel, Switzerland). 2023;12(6):1218. doi:10.3390/foods12061218.

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Protein and Healthy Aging FAQs and Answers

Why Protein Matters as You Age

How Much Protein Do You Need?

Distributing Protein Throughout the Day

Best Sources of Protein

Animal Proteins (complete amino acids)

Plant Proteins

Protein Supplements

The Role of Protein in Building Muscle

Why Muscle Matters for Bones and Longevity

The Importance of Resistance Training

Training goals for older adults:

What Our Patients Are Saying:

New Patients

Call us Today At:(208) 914-6868

-Or Send Us An Email-

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