A common question I get from aging athletes who are working on improving their nutrition: “How much protein should I be taking in?” My response, as always, “It depends!” Epidemiological studies and clinical trials support the need for higher protein intake by older adults. Several epidemiological studies have found a positive correlation between higher dietary protein intake and higher bone mass density39, 40, 41; slower rate of bone loss42; and muscle mass and strength.43 One epidemiological study showed a positive association between higher dietary protein intake and fewer health problems in older women.
My first consideration however is the client’s goal. Do you want to increase lean muscle mass, improve and fuel performance, or are you to just be healthy and fit for a long time? You may have heard as a general rule, you should eat 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. For instance, if you are a 185lb. person, you would eat 185g of protein daily. But this does not account for the client’s goals, ability to digest protein (multiple factors here), and their gender. I like to use a range instead 0.8g-2.0g protein per pound of bodyweight. This account for activity level, training goals, gender, lean muscle mass, and any other factors that are established during the clients assessment.
A 150lb. female looking to lean out and maintain bodyweight weight would be consuming ~135g protein daily, whereas a 200lb. man looking to put on 10lbs. of lean muscle might be consuming 200-300g of protein daily.
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