Sarcopenia — the progressive, age-related loss of muscle mass and strength — begins as early as your 30s and accelerates notably after 60. It's a major contributor to falls, loss of independence, and frailty in older adults, and protein intake is one of the more modifiable levers available against it.
Why older adults need more, not the same or less
Aging muscle becomes less responsive to a given dose of protein — a phenomenon researchers call anabolic resistance. The same 20g protein serving that meaningfully stimulates muscle protein synthesis in a 25-year-old produces a smaller response in a 70-year-old. The practical fix identified across multiple studies (notably the PROT-AGE study group's 2013 consensus recommendations) is a higher per-meal protein dose — often cited around 25-30g per meal — to clear the higher threshold aging muscle requires.
The recommended range
Multiple geriatric nutrition bodies, including the PROT-AGE group, now recommend 1.0-1.2g/kg/day for healthy older adults — noticeably above the standard 0.8g/kg RDA — and 1.2-1.5g/kg/day for older adults managing acute or chronic illness, where muscle loss accelerates further. This runs counter to a lot of outdated dietary advice that pushed protein restriction in older age; the current evidence points the other direction.
Why resistance training matters alongside it
Protein intake alone, without resistance exercise, produces a modest effect on preserving muscle in older adults. Protein combined with even light resistance training (bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, or weights) produces a substantially larger effect in the research — the two interventions are complementary, not substitutes for each other.
Practical sources worth prioritizing
Easy-to-chew, easy-to-digest, complete protein sources are especially useful for older adults managing reduced appetite or dental limitations: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, and canned fish all deliver a high protein dose without requiring much chewing effort, alongside dedicated protein shakes or supplements where appetite is a limiting factor.