Do older adults need more protein than young people?

Two expert groups have reviewed the evidence and reach the same conclusion. The PROT-AGE group (Bauer and colleagues) states plainly that older adults need more dietary protein than younger adults to maintain muscle mass and function. The reason is physiological: with age the gut takes up a larger share of the protein before it reaches the muscles, and the muscle also responds more weakly to what does arrive, a phenomenon usually called anabolic resistance. The group recommends at least 1.0–1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for healthy people over 65, more (≥ 1.2 g/kg) for those who are active, and 1.2–1.5 g/kg for older people with acute or chronic illness.

The ESPEN expert group (Deutz and colleagues) arrives at exactly the same numbers and stresses that protein does most of its work combined with regular exercise, not on its own. Landing here, rather than at the 0.8 g/kg that has long been the general adult recommendation, helps slow sarcopenia, the gradual muscle loss that otherwise drives frailty and falls.

There is one exception and one caveat. People with severe kidney disease may instead need to limit protein and should follow medical advice. And the review behind the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations notes that the link between protein amount specifically and health outcomes is still only partly established. The direction is clear and the consensus strong, but this is a sensible step up from the minimum, not a sign that older people suddenly need to eat like a competitive athlete.

The stubborn idea is that a single number fits every age, that the 0.8 g/kg set as a floor for adults works as well at 75 as at 25. Two things keep it alive. First, the minimum recommendation was derived from studies on younger bodies and has since been treated as a ceiling rather than a floor, and guidelines change slowly. Second, many older people eat less overall as appetite fades, while an old warning that protein is hard on the kidneys, true in kidney disease, has been generalised to everyone. The result is that the very group that responds least well to protein often gets the least of it.

Aim for roughly 1.0–1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day if you are over 65 and healthy, and toward the higher end if you train or are recovering from illness. At 70 kilos that is around 75–85 grams. Spread it across the day's meals rather than saving it all for dinner. Regular food goes a long way: dairy, eggs, fish, meat, and legumes. Combine it with some strength training, which is where the protein does most of its work. If you have kidney disease, set the level together with your healthcare provider. Work out your own number with the protein calculator.