The standard protein recommendation was set to prevent deficiency, not to help an active adult keep muscle with age. Expert groups that study older adults recommend more, and it matters more if you are training or losing weight.
The short version
- The general adult recommendation in the United States is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. That is about 0.36 grams per pound.
- Expert guidance for adults over 65 is higher: at least 1.0 to 1.2 grams per kilogram, or roughly half a gram per pound. If you exercise and are otherwise active, it is 1.2 grams per kilogram or more, about 0.55 grams per pound and up.
- For a 160-pound adult, that works out to roughly 73 to 87 grams a day, or about 87 grams and up if you are active.
- A practical starting point for many adults: spread it across the day rather than eating most of it at dinner.
- People with kidney disease or other conditions that affect protein recommendations should follow the guidance of their doctor or registered dietitian.
How much, in plain numbers
Two expert panels have looked at this for older adults. The PROT-AGE study group, an international panel, reviewed the evidence for adults over 65 in 2013 and recommended an average daily intake of at least 1.0 to 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight. In pounds, that is roughly 0.45 to 0.55 grams per pound. For older adults who exercise and are otherwise active, it advised 1.2 grams per kilogram or more, about 0.55 grams per pound and up. The European clinical nutrition society ESPEN published similar guidance the following year: at least 1.0 to 1.2 grams per kilogram for healthy older people.
Both panels put most older adults with an acute or chronic illness higher still, in the range of 1.2 to 1.5 grams per kilogram, or about 0.55 to 0.7 grams per pound. That is a number to settle with your doctor.
Here is what the 1.0 to 1.2 range works out to by body weight:
- 140 pounds: about 64 to 76 grams of protein a day
- 160 pounds: about 73 to 87 grams
- 180 pounds: about 82 to 98 grams
- 200 pounds: about 91 to 109 grams
- 220 pounds: about 100 to 120 grams
The top number in each line is the 1.2 mark, which is where the guidance starts for older adults who exercise and are active.
These are ranges, not targets to hit to the gram. Your own number depends on your health, your goals, and what your doctor or a registered dietitian advises.
Spread it through the day
A practical starting point for many adults is to spread meaningful servings of high-quality protein across the day, rather than eating most of it at dinner. Older muscle tends to respond less efficiently to a given amount of protein, which researchers call anabolic resistance. That is the reason PROT-AGE gives for spreading intake out.
You may have seen specific per-meal gram targets. We do not publish one, because individual needs vary with body size, protein quality, total daily intake, age, training status, how much you eat overall, health conditions, and medical guidance.
Which proteins do the most
Leucine, an amino acid concentrated in animal proteins and soy, helps trigger muscle protein synthesis. That is why dairy, eggs, lean meat, fish, and soy tend to do more per gram than most other plant sources.
It does not mean you cannot build muscle on a plant-forward diet. It means paying attention to total intake and variety, and a registered dietitian can help you plan it.
If you are on a GLP-1
For someone eating less on a GLP-1 medication, reaching adequate protein becomes both harder and more important. If that describes you, see our page on protecting muscle during weight loss on a GLP-1, and how we coach strength training on a GLP-1 in Beaverton.
Where coaching fits
Protein supports the muscle; training is what builds it.
At Alloy Personal Training Progress Ridge, coaches help you line up the two. Our nutrition coaching is habit-based: regular check-ins, realistic food routines, and accountability. Our small group personal training pairs progressive strength work with habit coaching and progress tracking in one app.
Alloy coaches are fitness professionals, not medical or nutrition providers, and we do not prescribe clinical nutrition plans. PROT-AGE specifically notes that older adults with severe kidney disease who are not on dialysis may need to limit protein, which is exactly the kind of decision that belongs with a physician.
The place to start is a Starting Point Session in Beaverton: a conversation and an assessment. We talk through your goals and history, check how you move, take an InBody baseline to estimate your starting body composition, and build a plan. A founding membership is available while we prepare to open.
Ready when you are. Book your intro call.