Do older adults need more protein to optimize muscle growth compared to young people?
~20 g of high-quality protein has been shown to optimally stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Doubling the protein dose to 40 g gives only a relatively small further increase in muscle protein synthesis in young people.
However, is this also true for older adults?
This review combined results from multiple studies to investigate the effect of different protein doses on muscle protein synthesis after resistance exercise in both young (18-35 y) and older (65+ y) adults.
The older adults had lower postexercise muscle protein synthesis rates when compared to the younger subjects. In younger adults, the ingestion of 40 g protein had little further benefit when compared to 20 g. In contrast, the ingestion of 40 g protein showed a large benefit over 20 g in older adults.
These data suggest that older adults need to aim for more protein per meal than younger adults to optimize muscle mass.
Go the the next infographic in protein series:
Older adults need more protein?
So, older adults who lift weights should eat 40g of protein per meal. Should they eat 3 meals a day or 5?
Hi Tom,
As we and others have done more research in this area, the case for “protein distribution” has become very weak.
See here my current thoughts:
https://www.nutritiontactics.com/protein-intake-distribution-beneficial-detrimental-or-inconsequential-for-muscle-anabolism/
In short:
Just focus on hitting your daily protein intake target. The distribution throughout the day likely has little to no impact.
40gm of protein. Is it post exercise dose? How about total protein perday in relation to body weight?
Yes.
It’s not clear if protein requirements increase based on bodyweight. My guess is that bigger people need a bit more protein, but that the increase is probably not linear.
I love this article except the term “elderly.” lol I much prefer experienced or mature at age 63. Elderly is like over 95. lol
In scientific papers often 65 years and older is used. I usually write older adults instead of elderly in my papers, because elderly sounds worse.