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Protein Requirements Increase With Age

Current research — including position statements from the International Society of Sports Nutrition — recommends that men over 40 consume significantly more protein than the basic RDA of 0.8g/kg. The RDA was established to prevent deficiency, not to optimise muscle retention, metabolic health, or recovery from exercise. For active men over 40, the evidence supports intakes of 1.6–2.2g per kg of body weight per day to maintain muscle mass, support recovery, and manage body composition effectively.

This higher requirement reflects the phenomenon of anabolic resistance — the reduced efficiency with which older muscle tissue responds to protein intake. Higher protein doses are required to achieve the same muscle protein synthesis response that lower doses produce in younger men.