After decades of recommending about 60 grams of protein per day for a 2,000 calorie per day diet, the federal government revised that recommendation upward in January 2026.
The new goal range is 0.54 to 0.73 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.
Therefore, for a 200 pound person, the recommended daily protein intake is 108 to 146 grams.
Protein is needed to maintain and build muscle, and this was seemingly ignored by the old recommendations, which focused more on eating carbohydrates.
In any event, if you are over 50 and you are engaged in strength training, you will want to shoot for an even higher range.
After the age of 50, our bodies don’t synthesize protein as well. This issue appears to accelerate as we age and may be one of the reasons for age related loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia).
To offset sarcopenia, which can ultimately lead to frailty, it is necessary to train to build strength and muscle.
Therefore, we need to consume even more protein.
Unfortunately, the medical community does not seem to have an understanding of how much protein is needed to build and maintain muscle, as it often referred to the old recommendations as recently as 2025 in some publications.
As such, we need to turn to “bro science” to figure out how much protein we need to consume.
Bro science is what is discovered in the gym and by people who train regularly in the gym to compete in bodybuilding, powerlifting and other athletic endeavors where strength training is a focus.
Bodybuilders discovered decades ago that they needed to consume much more protein to build muscle than what the medical community recommended.
The gym bros generally recommend consuming one to 1.25 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.
For the aforementioned 200 pound individual, this results in protein intake of 200 to 250 grams per day.
Keep in mind, these are people who make a living at having enormous muscle mass and they are trying to pack it on fairly quickly at times.
You and I don’t need that much protein, but we definitely need more than even the updated federal guidelines because the aging process is making things more difficult for us.
Therefore, the guideline for the Champion of Aging is 0.75 to 0.9 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day, or about 150 to 180 grams for the 200 pounder.
There is one caveat… if you have already developed kidney disease, a higher level of protein intake may cause problems, so it will be necessary to consult your physician.
Otherwise, higher levels of protein intake within the ranges indicated should not be a problem.
The best sources of protein are beef, chicken and fish, i.e., animal sources.
For example, an eight ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast will provide you with about 60 grams of protein.
Animal sources are best because they are nutrient dense and there is no fiber attached, as is the case with plant-based proteins. That fiber means you need to eat more of the plant-based protein, since some of what you eat won’t be digested, due to the fiber.
If you have trouble consuming enough protein through these sources, then consider a powder form, such as whey isolate.
Protein bars may be considered as well, but choose wisely, as they can also be packed with calories.
Ultimately, you’ll want to try and eat protein with every meal, and you should shoot for four or five meals per day with 25 to 50 grams of protein per meal depending upon your needs.
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