What the numbers mean
The PROT-AGE expert group recommends that healthy adults over 65 average at least 1.0 to 1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight per day, and at least 1.2 g per kg for older adults who exercise and are otherwise active.
As a worked example, a person who weighs 70 kg (about 154 lb) would work out to about 70 to 84 g a day at 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg. To convert pounds to kilograms, divide by 2.2.
This is an expert position paper, not a controlled trial. It is a minimum-style recommendation, not a limit, and it addresses people over 65, so it does not directly cover ages 50 to 64.
Who needs individual advice instead
- The same paper names severe kidney disease (not on dialysis) as an exception, where protein may need to be limited.
- Most older adults with an acute or chronic illness need more protein than healthy older adults, and the right amount depends on the illness.
- If either applies to you, do not use a general number. Ask your clinician or a registered dietitian.
Simple ways to include protein
Many people find it easier to include a protein food at each meal than to count grams. Approximate amounts for common foods are below. Labels and portions vary, so check the package.
| Food | Typical portion | Protein (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | 1 large | 6 g |
| Greek yogurt | 3/4 cup | 15 to 20 g |
| Cottage cheese | 1/2 cup | 12 to 14 g |
| Milk | 1 cup | 8 g |
| Canned tuna | 3 oz | about 20 g |
| Cooked chicken breast | 3 oz | about 25 g |
| Cooked lentils | 1/2 cup | about 9 g |
| Firm tofu | 1/2 cup | about 10 g |
Protein and strength work
Protein and muscle-strengthening activity are often discussed together. In trials of protein supplements alongside resistance training in healthy adults, extra protein stopped adding muscle gain above about 1.6 g per kg per day, and the benefit was smaller at older ages.
That is context about muscle-gain trials. It is not a target for you and not a safe upper limit.
What this does not tell you
This is general education, not medical nutrition therapy. It cannot account for your medications, conditions, or preferences, and it is not a diet plan.
Try it today
Small, reviewed steps you can start now. Choose one, or save it for later.
Name the protein in one meal
About 3 minutes · Very easy. This is a thinking step, not a diet change.
Choose one meal today and identify a protein food you already enjoy and can include.
- How to start
- Think of your next meal. Which food in it could be your protein, such as eggs, beans, fish, yogurt, chicken, or tofu?
- You will need
- A meal you already plan to eat today.
- How hard
- Very easy. This is a thinking step, not a diet change.
- Done when
- You named one protein food for one meal.
Safety: Follow dietary restrictions or individualized guidance already provided by a qualified clinician.
Evidence strength: moderate. General information, not medical advice.
Learn more: Protein calculator
Where to go next
- Protein calculator Guidance matched to your age group, activity, and health situation.
- Strength training after 50
About the evidence on this page
- Review status
- Claims source-checked
- Last updated
- Claims source-checked
- Clinician review
- None recorded. No physician or other licensed clinician has reviewed this page.
Each claim listed below was compared with the named sources. The checks were prepared with AI assistance and the ratings are proposed, pending confirmation by a person. Everything else on this page is general guidance, not a separately reviewed claim.
Claims we checked
- Moderate evidenceAn international expert group recommends that healthy adults over 65 average at least 1.0 to 1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight per day.Supportive guidance exists, with more limits or less consistency than a strong rating.This rating is proposed, pending confirmation by a person.Limits: It is an expert position paper, not a controlled trial. It addresses people over 65, so it does not directly cover ages 50 to 64. It is a minimum-style recommendation, not a limit, and individual needs vary.
- Moderate evidenceThe same paper advises at least 1.2 g of protein per kg per day for older adults who are exercising and otherwise active.Supportive guidance exists, with more limits or less consistency than a strong rating.This rating is proposed, pending confirmation by a person.Limits: Expert position paper for people over 65. "Exercising and active" is not defined precisely, so the calculator asks about regular strength training or exercise and does not claim more precision.
- Moderate evidenceThe same paper names severe kidney disease (not on dialysis) as an exception, where protein intake may need to be limited.Supportive guidance exists, with more limits or less consistency than a strong rating.This rating is proposed, pending confirmation by a person.Limits: This is why the calculator shows no number to anyone who reports kidney disease or is unsure. Decisions belong to the person's clinician or a registered dietitian.
- Moderate evidenceThe same paper states that most older adults with acute or chronic disease need more protein than healthy older adults.Supportive guidance exists, with more limits or less consistency than a strong rating.This rating is proposed, pending confirmation by a person.Limits: The right amount depends on the illness, so the calculator shows no number to anyone managing an illness or recovering from surgery or illness.
- Moderate evidenceIn trials of protein supplementation with resistance training in healthy adults, extra protein stopped adding muscle gain above about 1.6 g per kg per day, and the benefit of supplementation was smaller at older ages.Supportive guidance exists, with more limits or less consistency than a strong rating.This rating is proposed, pending confirmation by a person.Limits: Healthy adults in supplementation trials, not a recommendation for older adults. It is context about muscle-gain trials, not a target and not a safe upper limit.
- Moderate evidenceAdequate, individualized nutrition matters for older adults, especially those 65 and over.Supportive guidance exists, with more limits or less consistency than a strong rating.Limits: Awareness of protein in a meal is a starting point, not a dietary prescription. Restrictions or individualized guidance from a clinician take precedence.
Sources
- Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group, PROT-AGE Study Group (European Union Geriatric Medicine Society and partner organizations); Bauer et al., Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (2013)
- 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, Morton et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018)
- ESPEN practical guideline: Clinical nutrition and hydration in geriatrics, European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (2022)
Limitations
- This is general education, not individualized medical advice.
- Guidelines describe what is advised for adults in general. They are not a prescription for one person.
- Talk with a clinician if you have a health condition, symptoms, or restrictions.
Update history
- : First version published.