Daily Protein Intake

Daily Protein Intake 

Traditional protein recommendations are based on studies that estimate the minimum protein intake necessary to maintain nitrogen balance. It is an issue that relying solely on these results does not take into account physiological endpoints that correlate to aging, such as muscle function.

The recommended minimum daily intake of protein is 0.6-0.8g/kg/day. It is estimated that 38% of adult men and 41% of adult women have dietary protein intakes below the RDA.

“Essential Amino Acid Requirements for Aging Adults

Essential amino acids, especially the branched-chain amino acid leucine, are potent stimulators of muscle protein synthesis.”

“Conclusions

Elderly adults are less responsive to the anabolic stimulus of low doses of amino acid intake compared to younger adults [18]. However, this lack of responsiveness in elderly adults can be overcome with higher levels of protein consumption [18]. This is also reflected in studies comparing varying levels of protein intake [19]. This suggests that the lack of muscle responsiveness to lower doses of protein in older adults can be overcome with a higher level of protein intake.”

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4924200/