How to Know if You’re Getting Enough Protein as You Age

Protein is a macronutrient that’s a hot commodity these days, particularly its association with muscle growth and weight maintenance. It also plays a key role in keeping older adults healthy and strong as they age.

“As an older adult, your needs increase due to a decline in your ability to absorb nutrients,” says Claudia Hleap-Knight, RD, CDCES, a diabetes educator and nutritional consultant based in Philadelphia. “Also, as appetite and taste change, it may become a challenge to get adequate protein and calories to maintain weight and muscle mass.”

Here’s how to know if your body is getting an inadequate amount of protein (or too much), why that matters, and which foods are the best sources.

“The 1.2 grams of protein is a baseline, but different conditions can facilitate increased needs — including certain chronic illnesses, recovering from surgery, and if one has open wounds,” Hleap-Knight says.

Older adults, those with chronic illness, and strict vegetarians and vegans may regularly fall short of the recommended amounts of protein. According to Gail Clifford, MD, an internal medicine specialist and medical consultant to Paramount Wellness Retreat in Orlando, Florida, these are the signs you may notice if you’re experiencing a protein deficiency:

• Brittle Hair and Nails Because these are both made of the protein keratin, chronic protein deficiency may result in hair thinning, slowed growth, and ridges in the nails. This is often the first sign of deficiency.

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• Edema Edema is the medical term for swelling caused by excess fluid. Low protein intake leads to low albumin (a protein in the blood), causing fluid buildup, often appearing as swelling in the ankles and feet.

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• Slow Wound Healing Without adequate amino acids (the building blocks of protein) for collagen production, even minor abrasions or surgical incisions take significantly longer to heal.

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Speak to your healthcare provider if you notice these symptoms to determine the exact causes.

Apart from kidney issues or gastrointestinal distress, Hleap-Knight says there are no clear signs that you’re getting too much protein as an older adult. However, if you are overdoing it, you may start to see it affect your waistline in more subtle ways.

“Excess protein can lead to an excess calorie intake and, therefore, weight gain,” Hleap-Knight says. “Focusing on excess protein intake can also unintentionally displace other necessary components of the diet, such as getting enough dietary fiber.”

• Fish: 15.5 g per 3-oz fillet of cooked salmon

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• Chicken: 27.9 g per 3 oz of skinless, boneless chicken breast

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• Eggs: 6 g per one large hard-boiled egg

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• Beef: 13.4 g per 3-oz serving of ground beef

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• Milk: 8.14 g per cup

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• Yogurt: 8.5 g per cup of plain, whole-milk yogurt

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• Tofu: 9.2 g per 3 oz of firm tofu

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• Quinoa: 4 g per ½ cup of cooked grains

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• Current dietary guidelines recommend that all adults consume 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg (about 0.5 to 0.7 g per lb) of body weight. However, older adults may need more than younger ones to combat the muscle loss that happens as we age.
• Insufficient amounts of protein can lead to symptoms like edema, brittle hair and nails, and slower-healing wounds. Eating too much is not recommended for those with chronic kidney disease, and it can lead to digestive issues or unintended weight gain.
• Older adults should focus on eating foods that are complete proteins, meaning they contain all the essential amino acids. Those include fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, and plant-based options like soy and quinoa.