Protein and Amino Acids for Older Adults: How Much Do You Need to Keep Muscle?
TPBy the TrustedPurchaseReview Editorial Team
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The short answer
The RDA for protein is 0.36 grams per pound of body weight, about 60 grams a day for a 165 pound adult, and many adults over 50 fall short. Strength training is the main tool against age related muscle loss, and protein works best alongside it. Meta analyses of protein and amino acid supplements in older adults show small gains in strength and muscle mass, with whey standing out for limb muscle. Undernourished older adults benefited most.
Losing muscle with age, called sarcopenia, affects strength, balance and independence. We read Harvard Health Publishing, MedlinePlus, the U.S. Office on Women’s Health sarcopenia campaign and two meta analyses of supplements in older adults. This guide is general information, not medical advice. If you have kidney disease or a protein restriction, follow your doctor’s advice.
What Is Sarcopenia?
The Office on Women’s Health defines sarcopenia as “the loss of muscle mass and strength associated with age and decreased activity”. Harvard Health Publishing notes that adults who do not strength train can lose 4 to 6 pounds of muscle per decade, and that sarcopenia affects nearly 50% of adults over 80. There is no medication that cures it, according to the Office on Women’s Health.
How Much Protein Do You Need?
| Reference | Amount |
|---|---|
| RDA for adults (Harvard Health) | 0.36 g per pound of body weight, about 60 g a day at 165 pounds |
| Healthy range as share of calories (MedlinePlus) | 10% to 35% of daily calories |
| Where Harvard Health says intake can be harmful | Above 0.907 g per pound, about 150 g a day at 165 pounds |
Harvard Health also cites a study in which about 46% of adults 51 and older did not meet daily protein recommendations, and suggests spreading protein across the day, with a good source at each meal. MedlinePlus adds that essential amino acids do not need to be eaten at every meal, because the balance over the whole day matters more.
Protein in Everyday Food
According to MedlinePlus, one ounce (30 g) of most protein rich foods provides about 7 grams of protein. Each of these counts as one ounce:
| Food | Protein |
|---|---|
| 1 oz (30 g) of meat, fish or poultry | About 7 g |
| 1 large egg | About 7 g |
| 1/4 cup (60 ml) tofu | About 7 g |
| 1/2 cup (65 g) cooked beans or lentils | About 7 g |
MedlinePlus also notes that you do not need animal products to get enough protein, and lists beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, soy foods and low fat dairy as good sources.
What Are Essential Amino Acids?
Protein is made of amino acids. Essential amino acids cannot be made by the body and must come from food. MedlinePlus lists nine: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. Three of them, leucine, isoleucine and valine, are the branched chain amino acids (BCAA) sold on their own in many sports products.
When you compare supplements, check how many of the nine they contain. A product with only BCAA covers three; one product we reviewed covers eight and leaves out histidine.
Strength Training Comes First
Harvard Health calls strength training the main way to fight sarcopenia, and cites research showing that protein combined with heavy resistance exercise produces the largest gains in muscle mass and strength. The Office on Women’s Health says it is “never too late to rebuild your strength” and suggests starting with 1 to 2 days a week using bands, weights or body weight. A supplement without training is unlikely to make a meaningful difference.
Do Protein and Amino Acid Supplements Help?
| Review | What it covered | What it found |
|---|---|---|
| Cheng et al., British Journal of Nutrition, 2018 | 39 trials, 4,274 older adults with acute or chronic conditions | Small improvements in fat free mass, strength and physical function. Essential amino acids were the most effective type and undernourished adults benefited most, but the 7 trials at low risk of bias found no effect |
| Bai et al., European Journal of Nutrition, 2022 | 35 trials in older adults: whey, essential amino acids and BCAA | Small gains in handgrip strength and muscle mass. Whey significantly increased limb muscle mass; essential amino acids improved handgrip strength more than whey; BCAA alone did not improve handgrip strength |
What the evidence supports
- Small strength gains from protein or amino acid supplements
- Whey protein for muscle mass in older adults
- Extra help for undernourished older adults
What it does not support
- “Reversing” muscle loss with a pill alone
- BCAA products as a complete solution
- Claims that whey is a poor protein source
Products We Reviewed
| Product | What a serving provides | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Amino Formula | 5,000 mg of 8 essential amino acids in 5 tablets | Amounts per amino acid not listed; no histidine |
For scale, 5 grams of amino acids is a small fraction of the roughly 60 grams of protein a day the RDA gives for a 165 pound adult. We will add more products as we review them.
Label Checklist
- Grams per serving. Compare it with your daily protein target, not only with other supplements.
- How many of the nine essential amino acids. BCAA products cover three.
- Individual amounts. A blend total hides how much leucine you get.
- Sugar. Harvard Health notes some protein powders contain up to 23 grams of sugar per scoop.
- Claims. Be wary of products that promise to “reverse” muscle loss without exercise or that dismiss whey and food protein.
FAQ
How much protein do older adults need?
Can you reverse muscle loss with age?
Are amino acid supplements better than whey protein?
How many essential amino acids are there?
Do I need protein at every meal?
Who should be careful with protein supplements?
Sources
- Harvard Health Publishing: Muscle loss and protein needs in older adults, August 2024.
- MedlinePlus: Protein in diet and Amino acids.
- U.S. Office on Women’s Health, Stronger than Sarcopenia: Ways to address sarcopenia.
- Cheng H, et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of protein and amino acid supplements in older adults with acute or chronic conditions. British Journal of Nutrition, 2018.
- Bai GH, et al. Effects of branched-chain amino acid-rich supplementation on EWGSOP2 criteria for sarcopenia in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Nutrition, 2022.
About the editorial team
Written by the TrustedPurchaseReview editorial team. We read official labels and sales pages and check them against published research and government sources. We do not buy or test the products ourselves. We earn affiliate commissions on some links, and ratings are not for sale.
Questions or corrections? Contact us.
This guide is informational and not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before changing your protein intake or starting supplements.