You eat reasonably well, you walk, and perhaps you have started lifting weights. Yet your arms look a little thinner than they did, getting up from a low chair takes more effort, and you keep reading that people over 50 need more protein. Then the questions start: how much more, from which foods, and is a shake the answer?
The advice is confusing because the numbers differ. The official European figure is the same for all adults, while geriatric experts recommend more after 65,12 and advice online often goes far higher. Add plant-based eating, worries about the kidneys and a shelf of protein bars, and it is hard to know what matters.
This guide walks you through it: why protein matters more as you age, the amounts in grams for your weight, how training and weight loss change them, how to spread protein across your meals and which foods carry it, and who should talk to their doctor first.
Start with the why: what happens to muscle after 50, and what protein can and cannot do about it.
Ageing muscle responds less to the same meal#
Muscle mass starts to fall noticeably from around 50, mostly in the legs, and the ageing body responds less to the protein you eat.92 Protein is the raw material for keeping and rebuilding muscle, especially when you train.
In an MRI study of 468 adults aged 18 to 88, muscle as a share of body weight fell from the thirties, but the absolute amount of muscle did not fall noticeably until the end of the fifth decade, mainly in the lower body.9 European experts on ageing point to changes in how the older body handles protein, including a declining building response to the protein eaten, as one reason older people need more of it.2
Laboratory work shows the same thing at the level of a single meal. When researchers measured muscle protein building after different amounts of protein, healthy men aged around 71 needed a larger dose for the full response than men aged around 22.6
Anabolic resistance, in one sentence
The blunted muscle-building response of ageing muscle to the protein you eat, so that the same meal does a little less than it did at 25.[2][6]
- My arms look thinner than they used to
- Do I need protein shakes?
- I eat well but I'm losing strength
- I'm never hungry at breakfast
- Bread and cheese for dinner again
- I've cut down on meat
Protein helps most when you also train#
Older people who eat the most protein tend to lose less muscle, although that comes from observational studies.7 Protein alone does not build strength: in trials it works mainly by supporting strength training.54
In 2,066 people aged 70 to 79 followed for three years, those in the top fifth of protein intake lost about 40% less lean mass than those in the bottom fifth. The authors describe protein as a possible modifiable factor that needs further study, because an association of this kind cannot prove cause.7
Trials point the same way, with training in the lead. In 100 frail people with an average age of 87, ten weeks of strength training more than doubled their strength, while a nutritional supplement without exercise had no effect on any of the main outcomes.5
So how much is enough? The answer depends on your age, and on which expert group you ask.
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From there, the numbers: the European reference, the higher advice for older adults, and how training and weight loss shift it.
The reference is 0.83 g per kilogram, more after 65#
The European reference intake for adults, older adults included, is 0.83 g of protein per kilogram of body weight a day.1 For people over 65, European geriatric experts advise at least 1.0 to 1.2 g per kilogram.23
The 0.83 g figure comes from the European Food Safety Authority, which notes that average intakes in Europe are often at or above it.1 The PROT-AGE group, set up by the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society, recommends at least 1.0 to 1.2 g per kilogram a day for people over 65,2 and the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism advises at least 1.0 g for older people, adjusted to their health, activity and tolerance.3
| Body weight | Protein a day |
|---|---|
| 60 kg | About 50 g at 0.83 g per kg; 60 to 72 g at 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg |
| 70 kg | About 58 g at 0.83 g per kg; 70 to 84 g at 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg |
| 80 kg | About 66 g at 0.83 g per kg; 80 to 96 g at 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg |
| 90 kg | About 75 g at 0.83 g per kg; 90 to 108 g at 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg |
Between 50 and 65 there is no separate European figure, so these are your two reference points. Where you sit between them depends on how active you are, your health and your appetite. Treat the numbers as a guide for your meals, not a target to chase with supplements.
Training raises the target, but only so far#
Active people over 65 are advised to eat 1.2 g of protein per kilogram a day or more.2 In trials, adding protein to strength training gave modest extra gains, with no further benefit above about 1.6 g per kilogram a day.4
Across 49 trials with 1,863 participants, adding protein to resistance training increased the gains modestly: about 2.5 kg more on a one-repetition maximum and 0.3 kg more lean mass. The effect was smaller in older participants, and one author declared funding from the US National Dairy Council.4
Training is the part that does the work. The WHO recommends muscle-strengthening activity that works all the major muscle groups on two or more days a week.10 Protein makes sure your body has what it needs to respond to it.
Eating less makes protein count for more#
When you eat less, protein counts for more. European guidance on nutrition in older people notes that too little energy intake increases protein requirements.3
That guidance asks for enough protein and enough energy overall, and it points out that frail older people with several illnesses often eat far less protein than they need.3 According to PROT-AGE, most older adults with an acute or chronic illness need even more, around 1.2 to 1.5 g per kilogram a day.2
In practice, if you are losing weight on purpose after 50, cut back on other foods before protein foods, and keep your strength training going. If you are losing weight without trying, see your doctor.
Numbers only help once they are on a plate. This part turns them into meals and foods, with an honest answer about shakes.
A good portion at each meal is a sensible habit#
In laboratory studies, older men needed about 0.4 g of protein per kilogram in a single meal to get the full muscle-building response.6 Expert groups still judge the evidence on timing too thin for firm rules.2
The figure comes from a pooled analysis of the researchers' own laboratory studies: healthy men aged around 71 reached a plateau at about 0.40 g per kilogram in one meal, against 0.24 g in men aged around 22.6 For a 70 kg man that is roughly 28 g at a meal. Only men were studied, and it measures a short-term building response, not muscle or strength over months.
PROT-AGE concluded that protein quality and timing may be relevant but that the evidence is not yet sufficient for specific recommendations.2 Spreading protein across your meals is a sensible habit rather than a proven rule, and it is easy: it mostly means adding protein to the meal that has least.
Fish, eggs, dairy, tofu and pulses all count#
Fish, meat, eggs, quark, cottage cheese, hard cheese, tofu and pulses such as lentils and chickpeas are all good sources.8 Cooked pulses carry less protein per 100 g than meat or fish, so the portion needs to be larger.
| Food, per 100 g | Protein |
|---|---|
| Emmentaler cheese | 28.4 g |
| Almonds | 25.6 g |
| Chicken breast without skin, raw | 24.6 g |
| Salmon fillet, steamed | 18.7 g |
| Trout, raw | 17.7 g |
| Firm tofu | 14.7 g |
| Egg, hard-boiled | 14 g |
| Cottage cheese | 12.4 g |
| Low-fat quark | 10.6 g |
| Whole lentils, cooked | 8.8 g |
| Chickpeas, cooked | 7.3 g |
| Natural yogurt | 3.9 g |
| Whole milk | 3.2 g |
The values come from the Swiss Food Composition Database of the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office.8 Cheese and nuts are rich in protein but also in fat and energy, so they work best as part of a meal rather than the main source.
Plant-based eating can cover your needs with some planning, because tofu, lentils, chickpeas and nuts add up across a day. PROT-AGE judged the evidence on protein quality not yet strong enough for specific advice,2 so variety across the day is the practical answer.
Food first, and supplements only with advice#
Most people can reach their protein needs with ordinary food. Whether a supplement makes sense for you, for example with a small appetite or during illness, is a conversation with your doctor or a dietitian.
Supplements were how most training trials delivered the extra protein, and the extra gains were modest.4 In frail older people, a nutritional supplement without exercise did not improve strength at all.5 Neither finding makes a powder necessary for someone who eats regular meals with protein in them.
A shake can help when appetite is small or eating is difficult, which is exactly when individual advice matters: European nutrition guidance adjusts protein to each person's health, activity and tolerance.3
For most people, more protein from food is simple. One group should check with their doctor first, and this last part explains where our work sits.
Kidney disease changes the advice#
People with severe kidney disease who are not on dialysis may need to limit protein, the main exception in European expert advice.2 If you have any kidney condition, agree the right amount with your doctor before changing what you eat.
PROT-AGE names one clear exception to its higher targets: older people with severe kidney disease, with an estimated filtration rate (eGFR) below 30, who are not on dialysis.2 Kidney function is checked with a routine blood test, so if you are unsure about yours, ask your doctor before you raise your protein.
We build your meals around your training#
Our work sits alongside medical care, never instead of it. We look at how you actually eat, train, sleep and handle stress, and help you build meals and habits that support your strength.
A protein number on its own changes little. What makes the difference is a week of meals you enjoy with protein spread across them, strength training you keep up, sleep that lets you recover and digestion that copes.
That is what our programmes do, coordinated with your doctor, and with a dietitian when a medical diet is needed. If you would like to look at your own week, talk it through with our care team on a free call. It is a coaching conversation, not a medical consultation.
Quick answers10 questions this guide covers, in short
Why does protein matter more after 50?
Because muscle starts to fall noticeably from around 50, and ageing muscle responds less to the protein you eat. Protein is the raw material your body needs to keep and rebuild muscle, especially when you train. Read the section
Does eating more protein slow muscle loss as you age?
In observational studies, older people who eat the most protein lose less muscle, but protein alone does not build strength. In trials, it works mainly by supporting strength training. Read the section
How much protein do you need a day after 50?
The European reference intake for all adults, older adults included, is 0.83 g of protein per kilogram of body weight a day. For people over 65, European geriatric experts advise at least 1.0 to 1.2 g per kilogram. Read the section
Do you need more protein if you do strength training?
A little more. European experts advise 1.2 g per kilogram a day or more for active people over 65, and in trials, extra protein added to strength training gave modest gains, with no further benefit above about 1.6 g per kilogram a day. Read the section
How much protein do you need when you are trying to lose weight?
Protein matters more when you eat less. European guidance on nutrition in older people notes that eating too little energy increases protein requirements, so keep protein foods on the plate when you cut back. Read the section
Does it matter how you spread protein over the day?
It may. In laboratory studies, older men needed about 0.4 g of protein per kilogram in one meal for the full muscle-building response, so a good portion at each meal makes sense, but expert groups judge the evidence on timing too thin for firm rules. Read the section
Which everyday foods are good sources of protein?
Fish, meat, eggs, dairy products such as quark, cottage cheese and hard cheese, tofu, and pulses such as lentils and chickpeas are all good sources. Cooked pulses carry less protein per 100 g, so the portion needs to be larger. Read the section
Do you need protein shakes or supplements after 50?
Most people can reach their protein needs with ordinary food. Whether a supplement makes sense for you, for example with a small appetite or during illness, is a conversation with your doctor or a dietitian. Read the section
Is a higher protein intake safe if you have kidney disease?
Not necessarily. People with severe kidney disease who are not on dialysis may need to limit protein, so if you have any kidney condition, agree the right amount with your doctor before you change what you eat. Read the section
Where does a functional approach fit for protein after 50?
Alongside medical care, never instead of it. We look at how you actually eat, train, sleep and handle stress, and help you build meals and habits that support your strength, coordinated with your doctor when a medical condition is involved. Read the section
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for protein. EFSA J. 2012;10(2):2557. Link
- Bauer J, Biolo G, Cederholm T, et al. Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2013;14(8):542-559. PMID : 23867520. Link
- Volkert D, Beck AM, Cederholm T, et al. ESPEN practical guideline: clinical nutrition and hydration in geriatrics. Clin Nutr. 2022;41(4):958-989. PMID : 35306388. Link
- Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376-384. PMID : 28698222. Link
- Fiatarone MA, O'Neill EF, Ryan ND, et al. Exercise training and nutritional supplementation for physical frailty in very elderly people. N Engl J Med. 1994;330(25):1769-1775. PMID : 8190152. Link
- Moore DR, Churchward-Venne TA, Witard O, et al. Protein ingestion to stimulate myofibrillar protein synthesis requires greater relative protein intakes in healthy older versus younger men. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2015;70(1):57-62. PMID : 25056502. Link
- Houston DK, Nicklas BJ, Ding J, et al. Dietary protein intake is associated with lean mass change in older, community-dwelling adults: the Health, Aging, and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;87(1):150-155. PMID : 18175749. Link
- Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO). Swiss Food Composition Database [online]. Bern: FSVO; accessed 26 October 2026. Link
- Janssen I, Heymsfield SB, Wang ZM, Ross R. Skeletal muscle mass and distribution in 468 men and women aged 18-88 yr. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2000;89(1):81-88. PMID : 10904038. Link
- Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(24):1451-1462. PMID : 33239350. Link
Researched and drafted with the help of AI, checked against its sources, then reviewed and approved by the FunctionAlps editorial team, which holds editorial responsibility for it. How we use AI
Articles published by FunctionAlps are educational and written within ASCA and EMR scope. They do not replace personalised clinical advice. When findings warrant medical evaluation, we coordinate with a referring physician.