How Much Does Protein Matter for Ageing Well?

In the last piece we talked about our muscles. I wrote that muscle is not only about looking strong or fit, but one of the important parts of staying independent as we age.

Now let us look at the other side of the story.

We work our muscles. We walk, we swim, we lift weights, we do squats. So while a muscle is answering all of that, what does it repair and protect itself with?

This is where protein comes in.

In recent years protein has become a little fashionable. “High protein” products have multiplied on supermarket shelves. Protein powders are no longer something only bodybuilders use. We even have apps that count how much protein we eat.

Underneath all that noise sits a fairly basic biological truth:

And protein is not only needed for muscle. Proteins take part in a great many vital processes, from the immune system to hormones, from enzymes to the repair of our tissues.

What Does Protein Actually Do?

We can think of proteins as long chains made of small building blocks. We call those building blocks amino acids.

Our body can make some amino acids itself. Others, the ones we call essential amino acids, we have to get from food.

The protein in the egg, the yoghurt, the fish or the lentils we eat is broken down into amino acids in our digestive system. Those amino acids are then used again wherever they are needed.

Muscle tissue is one of those places.

Our muscles are not structures built once that stay the same for life. They are in a constant cycle of building up and breaking down. To keep muscle tissue healthy, that balance has to work well.

Exercise, especially resistance exercise, gives muscle a strong signal. Enough protein supplies the building blocks the muscle needs to answer that signal.

In short:

What Changes as We Age?

Here we meet an important idea for ageing well: anabolic resistance.

As we get older, the building response our muscles make to protein and amino acids may not be as strong as it was in our younger years.

Put into everyday language, to keep the same muscle we need to give it a little more care as we age.

And it is not only about calendar age.

Inactivity, long hours of sitting, being confined to bed by illness, not eating enough and metabolic problems can all affect that response too.

The good news is that muscle can still answer the signal.

And we have two powerful tools:

Movement and nutrition.

That is why I am not fond of the thought “I am too old now, I cannot build muscle.” Our body changes, and the response it gives changes, but as long as we keep using our muscles we keep giving them a reason to stay strong.

So How Much Protein Should We Get?

The basic figure we have heard for adults for years is about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.

But seen from the angle of ageing well, that amount may not always be enough, especially in later years.

For healthy adults aged 65 and over, many expert groups recommend about 1.0-1.2 g/kg of protein a day.

For a healthy adult weighing 70 kilos, that comes to roughly 70-84 grams of protein.

Protein needs vary with age, body weight and composition, activity level, total energy intake and health. Someone who exercises regularly may need a different amount. Needs can rise during illness.

In conditions such as advanced kidney disease in particular, the amount of protein should be assessed separately.

As in almost every area of longevity, here too no single number fits everyone.

Let Us Take Breakfast a Little More Seriously

As well as how much protein we eat, which meals of the day we eat it at has been getting attention in recent years.

In the way many of us are used to eating, breakfast and sometimes lunch can be light on protein, with most of it eaten at dinner.

Yet there are studies suggesting that as we age, eating about 25-30 grams of good quality protein in one meal may help stimulate muscle protein synthesis.

That is why I take breakfast seriously.

Instead of getting through the morning on tea, coffee and a few bites, starting the day with a breakfast that contains about 30 grams of protein can be a very practical goal.

But let us not turn 30 grams into a magic number either. Total daily protein, protein quality, movement and the whole of what we eat are still the real picture.

Animal or Plant?

I do not find it very useful to split into two teams over this.

Animal proteins are generally rich in essential amino acids and easy to digest. Eggs, dairy, fish, chicken and meat are valuable sources in that respect.

Plant proteins can have different amino acid profiles and digestibility. That does not make them worthless.

Lentils, chickpeas, beans, nuts and seeds are very valuable parts of how we eat.

Rather than searching for one “best protein”, I find it more meaningful to look at the whole plate.

Variety works in our favour again.

Is Protein Powder a Must?

No.

If we can meet our daily needs from food, we do not have to use protein powder.

But there is no need to declare protein powders bad either.

They can be used when appetite drops, by people who struggle to eat enough protein, by people who train hard, or when daily life calls for a practical source of protein.

The right question here should be “Do I really need this?”

Is Protein Enough on Its Own?

No.

If we eat very well but never move, we leave out one of the most important things we can do to protect our muscles.

Resistance exercise in particular is one of the strongest tools for stimulating muscle protein synthesis.

So protein and movement should not be thought of apart.

We will work our muscles.
We will give them enough building blocks.
We will let them rest.
Then we will use them again.

That is more or less how the body works.

Why Do I Care About This So Much?

Because in the end it comes back to the central question of Authentic Longevity:

At 70, at 80, I want to be able to do my own things myself for as long as possible.

To climb stairs.
To get up off the floor.
To carry my own shopping.
To pull my suitcase and set off on a trip.
To walk.
To create.
To stay inside my own life.

Behind all of that is a body that works, and behind a body that works is muscle strength that has been looked after.

That is why protein is one of the important parts of our story of ageing well.