Assessment
The Right Amount of Protein to Feed Brain and Body
As you age, your need for protein increases, studies suggest
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Are you eating enough protein?
A growing number of experts say the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is too low for older adults to preserve muscle strength. Yet, according to a report from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, close to half of older adults do not meet existing protein recommendations, never mind the suggested higher levels.
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That’s bad news since some studies suggest that sufficient protein may help protect mental skills.
The RDA for adults is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight per day. That’s about 54 grams of protein for a 150-pound woman and 65 grams for a 180-pound man. But researchers point out that these numbers were based on studies of healthy younger adults and may be insufficient for older people, especially those 65 and up. Older bodies have a harder time using protein, resulting in faster muscle loss with age.
So if a woman has an egg at breakfast, Greek yogurt at lunch, peanut butter for a snack and a 3-ounce portion of chicken breast or salmon at dinner, she’s achieved the current RDA of protein. But the latest research says that may not be enough.
The protein content of common foods
- Skinless chicken – 3 ounces (deck of cards): 25 grams
- Salmon or tuna – 3 ounces: 22 grams
- Cooked lentils – 1 cup: 18 grams
- Greek yogurt – 6 ounces (small carton): 18 grams
- Peanut butter – 2 tablespoons: 7 grams
- Egg – 1: 6 grams
Health organizations such as the National Resource Center on Nutrition & Aging have suggested that the RDA for healthy older adults should increase to 1 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. That’s 68 to 82 grams for a 150-pound woman and 82 to 98 grams for a 180-pound man.
That would mean our 150-pound woman might need to, say, have a larger chicken breast or a 6-ounce portion of salmon at dinner and add an additional source of protein during the day — such as 2 or 3 ounces of cheese, a container of Greek yogurt for a snack, another egg at breakfast or a cup of lentils or beans at dinner.
Memory and thinking skills
Eating enough protein may also support memory and thinking skills. Adults with higher protein intakes had a lower risk of cognitive decline in a study that followed 77,335 men and women with a mean age of 48 to 51 at baseline for more than 15 years. The results were published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2022. Protein from plant sources was particularly protective. Lead author Tian-Shin Yeh, M.D., at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said in a news release, “Beans and legumes had the strongest protective association.”
Mobility, balance and muscle strength
In a separate study, older adults who ate more than the current RDA for protein had better mobility, balance and muscle strength in a systematic review and meta-analysis of 31 studies involving a total of 23,756 adults age 60 and older published in Ageing Research Reviews in 2022. Muscle mass decreases about 3 to 8 percent each decade after age 30. Muscle decline is even higher after age 60 — especially among people who are sedentary, those who eat less food due to medical problems or lack of funds, and anyone who has trouble preparing meals for themselves.
If you’re not sure you’re getting enough protein, talk to a health care provider or dietitian about adjusting your daily amount. (If you have kidney disease, don’t increase your protein intake without consulting a doctor.) And for the best health benefits, spread out your protein consumption during the day so your body can absorb it more easily, says Stephen Perrine in our Weight Loss After 50 challenge.
We’ve got recipes!
A high-protein breakfast taco (also a great lunch option) with eggs, cheese and black beans offers 32 grams of protein. This popular salmon burger with green goddess sauce is packed with 23 grams of protein. Quick and healthy bean and barley soup has 13 grams of protein.
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