To prevent age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) and reduce the risk of frailty, it is recommended to consume approximately 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kilogram of body weight daily, an amount well above the standard Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 0.8 g/kg.

noli's read

This advice is based on a growing body of scientific literature suggesting that current RDAs, which are based on nitrogen balance studies to avoid deficiencies, are not optimal for maintaining muscle mass with advancing age. Reviews and observational studies indicate that an intake of 1.2 g/kg/day, ideally combined with resistance training, helps counter anabolic resistance (the increased difficulty in building muscle as one ages). While this range of 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg is widely supported by gerontology and nutrition experts to promote functional health, it is not considered a universal standard by all official bodies, although there is no evidence of major risks for healthy individuals. The idea that physical inactivity plays a more prominent role than biological aging itself in muscle loss is a strong point of the current consensus. This is not a refutation of the advice, but a clarification: the efficacy of this protein intake is highly dependent on the associated physical exercise.

the sources

1. 1Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al. 2018
2. 2Leidy HJ, Clifton PM, Astrup A, et al. 2015
3. 3Wu Y, Wang W, Liu T, Zhang D 2017
4. 4Li R, Xia J, Zhang X, et al. 2018