How much protein do you actually need after 45?
The textbook number was set to prevent deficiency in young adults — not to protect muscle in a 55-year-old body.
Your daily target
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How this is calculated
- The classic
0.8 g/kgRDA is a minimum to avoid deficiency in healthy young adults — it was never meant as an optimum for older bodies. - Expert groups on protein and ageing (such as the PROT-AGE and ESPEN working groups) recommend a higher intake for adults over roughly 65, in the region of
1.0–1.2 g/kg, and more when training or recovering from illness. - This calculator ramps the target gradually from age 45 and adds an allowance for strength training, which raises the requirement further.
- It shows a range, not a single magic number — because the evidence itself is a range.
Nothing you type leaves your device. No account, no tracking of your numbers, nothing stored.