The need for protein will change throughout life. Here is a step -by -step guide that will help you achieve your goals.
Most people in the United States get enough protein daily. But this is not a reason to stop paying attention to it, experts say.
Protein is needed for every function of your body, whether it is the construction of muscles, bones and collagen, digestion or infection, says Glland Cortney-Martin, a dietitian from the University of Toronto.
And how much you need, it changes over your life, depending on age, body size and other circumstances. Sometimes you can not eat without even realizing it, ”says Stuart Phillips, muscle physiologist and diet at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.
Federal recommendations published in 2005 recommend daily protein consumption depending on age and weight, although recent studies show that for optimal health, this amount should be a little higher, says Dr. Phillips.
Here's how your protein needs change with age.
Protein through the ages
should eat protein daily, partly because old proteins are damaged or worn, and new ones should be replaced, says Dr. Phillips - like the replacement of old brick bricks in a destroying wall.
childhood and adolescence
, older children and adolescents are constantly growing, so they need more protein than adults, proportionally to their body weight, says Dr. Korni-Martin.
According to federal recommendations, for example, infants aged 7 to 12 months require 0.54 grams of protein per pounds of body weight daily, while adults - 0.36 grams per pound.
According to Dr. Phillips, with age the need for children in the protein decreases with their growth. For example, children aged 4 to 8 years need 0.43 grams of protein per kilogram per day, and children aged 14 to 18 years - 0.39 grams per kilogram.
According to Christopher Gardner, a dietitian from Stanford University, most children receive enough protein with a regular balanced diet.
For example, a 25-pound baby needs about 12 grams of protein a day-or as much as contained in a cup of milk and a piece of whole grain bread combined. An 8-year-old child weighing 50 pounds requires about 22 grams of protein contained in one cup of Greek yogurt, and a teenager weighing 120 pounds-46 grams, or as much as in one thick pork reflective.
However, from 25 to 50 percent of girls aged 14 to 18 years, they do not meet the federal recommendations for protein consumption, according to the survey, published in 2023. Studies have shown that teenage girls eat less meat than boys, and are more likely to adhere to restrictive diets, which can explain protein deficiency in this group.
The young and average adult age
up to 17-18 years of age usually ceases to grow, and the need for protein decreases to the level of support-just enough to replace worn "bricks",-says Dr. Phillips.
The federal norm for people aged 19 years and older is 0.36 grams of protein per pound. For an adult weighing 185 pounds, this means 67 grams of protein a day - the amount you can get by eating one small salmon fillet, a cup of lentils and half a glass of almonds combined.
Among adults aged 19 to 50 years in the United States, less than 10 percent of men do not receive the recommended amount of protein daily, and among women - from 10 to 25 percent.
According to Dr. Phillips, certain people, such as those who regularly train for strength or endurance, as well as pregnant or breastfeeding women, may need twice as much protein than recommended by federal recommendations.
The elderly age
for protein consumption for the elderly is the same as for young people, but some data indicate that people are 65 years and older to consume more-at least 0.45-0.54 grams per kilogram, says Deniz K. Houston, Professor of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine.
For an adult weighing 185 pounds, this higher recommendation means from 84 to 101 grams of protein per day. It is possible to get so much if you eat one cup of cheese per day, a cup of tuna salad on whole grain bread and a chicken breast weighing six ounces. As in the case of young people, regular lifting of heavy objects, running or other active activities further increases the need for protein for the elderly. You will also need more protein if you recover from infection, hospitalization, surgery or bed rest, says Dr. Phillips.
According to Dr. Phillips, after 50 years and then you begin to lose muscle mass, which can increase the risk of falls, bone fractures, hospitalization and premature death.
Insufficient physical activity is the greatest cause of muscle loss, but studies have also shown that aging muscles are less effectively used by protein to create new muscle fibers, said Dr. Phillips. Among people aged 71 and older than 50% of women and 30% of men do not meet even lower federal recommendations for protein consumption.
Such a deficit can occur because the elderly people are usually consumed less than in youth, and may have difficulty chewing or reduced ability to cook or afford protein -rich foods, says Dr. Houston.
Products such as yogurt and eggs are good options, says Dr. Houston because they are rich in protein and easy to eat and use.
And since people often save on a protein during breakfast, it is worth paying more attention to this meal, especially the elderly, says Saman Faridjani, an epidemiologist at the University of Pittsburgh's Public Health School.
Instead of a piece of toast with orange juice (which provides five grams of protein), you can consider a cup of Greek yogurt with berries (22 grams); peanut butter sandwich on whole grain bread with a glass of milk (23 grams); Or brown for breakfast with egg, beans and cheese (39 grams).
One caveat, says Dr. Houston: people with chronic kidney disease or other disorders of their function are often recommended to monitor the amount of protein consumed, as protein intake causes the kidneys to work more intensively. Such people should work with their doctors to plan a balanced diet, she said.
