The Recommended Amount Is a Floor, Not a Target
The official recommended dietary allowance for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. That figure was set as the minimum needed to prevent deficiency in healthy adults, not the amount that supports strength and recovery.
Research in older adults consistently points higher. Expert consensus groups now suggest 1.0 to 1.2 grams per kilogram for healthy adults over 65, and 1.2 to 1.5 grams for those with acute illness, injury, pressure wounds, or recovery from surgery. For a 70 kilogram, or 154 pound, adult that is roughly 84 to 105 grams a day.
Why Spreading Protein Across Meals Matters
Aging muscle becomes less responsive to protein, a phenomenon called anabolic resistance. Reaching a threshold of roughly 25 to 30 grams in a single meal appears necessary to trigger muscle protein synthesis in older adults.
A typical eating pattern loads most protein into dinner and leaves breakfast at 5 to 10 grams. Rebalancing to three meals of 25 to 35 grams each does more for muscle preservation than raising the daily total alone. Pairing protein with resistance exercise two or three times a week multiplies the effect.
Appetite, Chewing, and Kidney Concerns
Poor appetite, dental problems, and swallowing difficulty are the practical barriers most often behind low protein intake. Softer high protein options such as eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, fish, bean soups, and fortified milk or shakes help when chewing is difficult.
Higher protein intake does not damage healthy kidneys. People with chronic kidney disease are a real exception and should follow the intake their nephrologist sets, since restriction is sometimes part of the treatment plan. Anyone on dialysis usually needs more protein, not less, which is another reason to individualize the target.