Why 0.8 Grams Are Not Enough in Old Age

0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight: This figure appears in almost every nutrition guide. However, it only applies to adults up to age 65.

For older people, the German Nutrition Society sets its reference value higher, at 1.0 grams per kilogram. ^[1] The reason: To maintain muscle mass, the body needs more protein in old age.

This is due to anabolic resistance: As we age, muscle cells respond more slowly to protein than they do when we are young. The same portion triggers less muscle growth.

At the same time, appetite and portion sizes often decrease with age, and some people find chewing more difficult. So the need increases precisely when getting enough becomes more difficult.

How Much It Should Be

The European professional society for clinical nutrition recommends 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for healthy older people. ^[2] In cases of acute or chronic illness, the recommendation rises to 1.2 to 1.5 grams.

An international group of experts arrives at the same range and considers up to 2.0 grams possible in cases of severe illness or malnutrition. ^[3] The German S3 guideline on nutrition in old age, published in 2025, contains its own recommendations on nutrient intake and sarcopenia. ^[4]

In numbers: At 75 kilograms, that means 75 to 90 grams of protein per day; at 90 kilograms, 90 to 108 grams.

However, protein is only incorporated if enough energy is available overall. A guideline of 24 to 36 kilocalories per kilogram of body weight per day is used, which means about 1,800 to 2,700 kilocalories at 75 kilograms. ^[5]

Those who stay below this level over the long term burn protein as fuel instead of using it to build muscle.

How to Reach the Daily Amount

The international group of experts recommends distributing the daily amount across portions of 25 to 30 grams per main meal. ^[3] The idea is that because muscle cells respond more slowly in old age, each meal should provide enough protein to stimulate muscle growth.

However, it has not been established whether the distribution itself provides an advantage. In a Danish study of 24 people between 65 and 80 years old, the muscles produced the same amount of new protein regardless of whether the daily amount was distributed evenly or eaten mainly in the evening. ^[6]

What is undisputed, by contrast, is the total amount, and breakfast is usually where people fall short. Those who eat only bread with jam in the morning rarely make up the missing 20 grams later in the day.

An egg, quark, skyr, or cottage cheese in the morning therefore changes the daily balance more than any dietary supplement.

Where the Protein Can Come From

This is one way to distribute a daily amount of just over 80 grams across three meals:

• Morning: half a container of skyr with around 17 grams, plus an egg with around 7 grams
• Lunch: a serving of lentils with around 18 grams or a piece of fish with around 25 grams
• Evening: a chicken breast with around 35 grams or cottage cheese with around 25 grams

If solid food is difficult to eat or appetite is lacking, protein powder and drinkable meals are the pragmatic solution because they provide a lot of protein in a small volume. In a comparison of 78 controlled studies involving 5,272 participants, whey protein performed best among six protein sources, both for muscle mass and handgrip strength. ^[7]

The order still matters: first adjust your meals, then supplement. Powder does not replace a protein-rich breakfast; it fills the gap that remains afterward.

Without Training, the Building Materials Remain Unused

Protein is the building material for muscle, while strength training is the construction order. Those who provide materials without issuing an order end up with a pile of bricks and no wall.

In 2025, four American professional societies stated that more protein alone is unlikely to maintain muscle mass if no structured strength training is added. ^[8] An overview of what suitable training looks like can be found at Muscle loss with age.

More is not automatically better: Protein that the muscles do not need can be converted into fat by the liver. ^[8]

Protein becomes particularly important when losing weight, for example while using weight-loss injections, because the need increases and appetite decreases.

What Does This Mean in Practice?

The calculation is simple: body weight in kilograms multiplied by 1.0 to 1.2 gives the daily amount in grams. At 75 kilograms, that means 75 to 90 grams.

The most effective single step is usually breakfast. Those who switch from bread with jam to quark, skyr, eggs, or cottage cheese gain around 20 grams without changing anything else.

This should be accompanied by two to three strength-training sessions per week. Four simple tests in the article Test yourself for sarcopenia show whether your muscle strength is already declining.