As a quick browse of the grocery-store aisles proves, protein is everywhere. You can now find popcorn, cereal and even water loaded up with the important macronutrient. The ubiquity might make you question your own intake and whether you’re getting enough — surely you don’t need extra protein in your snack foods, right?
For most healthy people with access to a wide variety of food, a clinical protein deficiency is uncommon, said Emma Laing, the director of dietetics at the University of Georgia. But it’s possible to unknowingly be getting less than the optimal amount for maintaining muscle mass — which is especially important as you get older.
Eating enough protein, when combined with muscle-strengthening activities such as weightlifting, helps preserve muscle mass, which tends to decrease with age, said Kelly Jones, a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics based in the Greater Philadelphia area. The decline starts to occur after 30, but really speeds up after 60.
“Our muscle mass is associated with longevity; your ability to get up and take care of yourself every day can really be dependent on your muscle mass,” Jones added. “If we’re not eating enough protein and not strength training, we’re not going to be able to maintain that [independence] as long.”
Chronic protein deficiency can lead to systemic effects, like changes to your skin, hair or nails, or frequent infections, because “protein is a component of practically every cell in the body,” said Laing. But the evidence that you’re eating a less-than-ideal amount is often subtler.
Here’s how to figure out if you’re under-eating this important macronutrient without realizing it.
You’re approaching middle age or older.
“Older adults tend to experience a gradual loss of muscle mass due to age-related hormonal changes, along with altered dietary patterns and a decline in physical activity,” said Laing. That makes adequate protein intake even more important.
But many older folks don’t get enough of it — a 2019 study found that 31 percent of men and 45 percent of women ages 51 to 60 consumed below the recommended amount. This is even more common the older people get: In the same study, 42 percent of men and 50 percent of women over 70 didn’t hit the recommended dietary allowance, which, at the time, was 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight (or 0.36 grams per pound). (The study was funded by a manufacturer of high-protein drinks.)
The transition to menopause, particularly in the late perimenopausal stage, may also be a vulnerable period for muscle mass, according to research.
If you have sarcopenia — a loss of muscle mass and function — or are trying to maintain muscle mass and strength for the long term, you should shoot for at least 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight a day, said Jones.
This falls more in line with the recently updated U.S. Dietary Guidelines released this year, which increased the recommended amount to 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (or 0.55 to 0.73 grams per pound) for all adults. That means a 150-pound person should get at least 83 grams of protein per day.
You’ve recently changed your diet
People who diet, restrict their calories or take weight loss medications might not consume enough protein. “People on GLP-1s may feel overly full from smaller amounts of protein,” said Jones. On top of that, they may need to eat more protein (in addition to strength training) than the general guidelines to preserve muscle mass during weight loss.
Even simply changing up your typical eating patterns — for example, swapping out dairy milk for nondairy products like oat and almond milk, or incorporating more vegetable-heavy meals into your menu without intentionally adding a protein — could reduce your intake considerably. For instance, oat milk contains less than two grams of protein per cup, compared with eight grams in cow’s milk.
“A lot of people end up with nutrient deficiencies due to just not thinking about having well-balanced meals,” said Jones. “Ensuring you’re including a protein food in every meal is important.”
This might look like changing up your nondairy milk option to make sure it checks that box: “Soy matches milk cup for cup with grams of protein,” she said.
While vegetarians and vegans may have a hard time meeting the recommended protein amount, “it is certainly possible with careful planning,” Laing said. Good sources of vegetarian protein include Greek yogurt (17 grams per 6 ounces), eggs (12 grams for 2 large ones) and cottage cheese (14 grams per 4 ounces). Vegan sources of protein include firm tofu (22 grams per half cup), lentils (18 grams per cup) and chickpeas (15 grams per cup). For those who eat fish or seafood, tuna (22 grams per 3 ounces) and salmon (23 grams per 3 ounces) are solid options.
You’re snacking nonstop in between meals
“Protein is the most satiating macronutrient,” said Jones. When you eat protein, whether on its own or with other macros like fat or carbohydrates, all of the food in your stomach takes longer to digest.
That translates to feeling “more satisfied for longer because our body and brain knows that we have energy incoming,” Jones said. But if your meal is low on protein, those fats and carbs reach your bloodstream quicker; your blood sugar spikes, then drops just as quickly. “Our blood levels of those nutrients decline, and our brain detects, ‘Hey, I’m low on energy again, and I’m going to need something sooner,’” she said.
If you’re eating a balanced meal with enough calories, it should keep you full for about three hours, Jones said. But if it doesn’t contain enough protein, you may feel hungry just an hour or two later — and specifically be hankering for something sweet to get a quick hit of energy.
To maximize satiety, try to take in protein throughout the day rather than cramming it into a small window, and shoot for at least 20 grams per meal, she said.
You’re sore for days after a workout
If you’re strength training and not building muscle, skimping on protein might be partly to blame. But a lack of protein can affect your exercise routine in other ways, too. “You may not be recovering as quickly as you should,” said Jones.
This can look like soreness that lingers, more frequent muscle or soft tissue injury or performance issues during your next workout. You may not be able to jump as high or lift as heavy, or your legs might feel fatigued when you hit the treadmill. “It could be that low physical energy level where you’re not able to put forth the amount of power that you want in a workout,” Jones said.
It’s important to remember, though, that protein isn’t the only nutrient that matters — a balanced eating plan is key to keep everything humming along.
“You also have to think about the other components of that meal or snack that are going to help provide energy, and the nutrients and antioxidants your body needs so that the proteins can actually do their job,” Jones said. For instance, a pre-workout snack (like a piece of toast or a sports drink) can provide quick energy from carbohydrates, so your body doesn’t try to tap into your protein stores instead.
Intentionally upping your protein, along with getting in regular physical activity, will help set you up for maintaining strength and functionality for years to come.
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