How much protein do you need as you get older?

Protein advice usually comes wrapped in gym talk: shakes, bars and big numbers. Yet as the years add up, the question changes from "how do I build muscle?" to "how do I keep what I've got?"

Here's what the Australian guidelines say about protein as you get older, what that looks like on an ordinary plate, and how the Thrive Health Band and app can help you see your own pattern rather than guessing.

What the Australian guidelines suggest

Australia and New Zealand share a set of Nutrient Reference Values, published on the Australian Government's Eat for Health website. For adults, the recommended daily protein intake is:

Men aged 19 to 70: 64 grams a day, or about 0.84 grams for each kilogram of body weight.
Men over 70: 81 grams a day, or about 1.07 grams per kilogram.
Women aged 19 to 70: 46 grams a day, or about 0.75 grams per kilogram.
Women over 70: 57 grams a day, or about 0.94 grams per kilogram.

The step up after 70 is deliberate. The guidelines raised the figures for older adults by about a quarter, because research suggested older bodies may need more protein to maintain themselves. They're also open about the fact that the evidence behind that increase is limited, so take the numbers as a sensible starting point rather than a precise target.

The per-kilogram figures help because bodies come in all sizes. A 70-kilogram woman over 70, for example, would be looking at roughly 66 grams a day.

Why protein matters more as the years go on

healthdirect explains that we naturally start to lose muscle slowly from around 30, and more quickly after 50. For women, muscle can be lost more quickly around menopause. Muscle is what gets you out of a low chair and keeps you steady on the stairs, so it's worth looking after.

healthdirect's advice for keeping muscle is a pairing rather than a single fix: a healthy, balanced diet with enough protein, and regular exercise, especially resistance or strength training.

The Australian physical activity guidelines recommend muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days a week for adults of every age, including people over 65. Our piece on living well for longer covers simple ways to start, from chair stands to a resistance band at home.

healthdirect also makes a point worth repeating: if you feel you're losing strength, don't assume it's just a natural part of getting older. It's worth a conversation with your GP.

What that looks like on a plate

You don't need to count every gram to get this right. The Australian Dietary Guidelines group protein-rich foods together, and one serve looks like:

65 grams of cooked lean red meat, or 80 grams of cooked chicken
100 grams of cooked fish, or a small can of fish
2 large eggs
1 cup of cooked or canned legumes, such as lentils or chickpeas
170 grams of tofu

For adults over 50, the guidelines suggest about 2 to 2½ serves of these foods a day, depending on age and sex, alongside serves of milk, yoghurt and cheese, which add protein too. Women over 50 are encouraged to have 4 serves of dairy or alternatives a day, and men over 70 about 3½.

A few practical habits help:

Spread it across the day. Dinner often carries the most protein while breakfast carries the least. A boiled egg, Greek yoghurt or beans on toast can lift breakfast without much effort.
Make it easy. Eat for Health singles out eggs as a low-cost, easy protein that's especially useful for older people.
Don't forget plant options. Legumes, tofu, nuts and seeds can provide protein for people who eat little or no meat.
If your appetite is small, smaller meals with a protein food in each can be easier than one big plate.

When to check with a professional

Protein needs are personal. If you live with a kidney condition, have been told to limit protein, are losing weight without trying, or find eating has become harder, talk to your GP before changing how much protein you eat. Your GP may suggest a dietitian, who can tailor the numbers to you. The same applies before adding a protein supplement.

How Thrive helps you see your own pattern

It's hard to know how much protein you actually eat until you look. Thrive helps you find out without turning dinner into a maths test.

Food tracking. Log your meals in the Nutrition tab and Thrive adds up your protein, carbohydrate, fat and calories for the day and the week, including how many days you reached your protein goal.
Diet recommendations. Thrive can suggest a daily calorie target from your profile and activity level, plus recommendations for protein, fat and carbohydrates in grams, which you can adjust with your dietitian or GP.
Food Fit. Scan a product's barcode to see its Food Fit result, along with its nutrition, including protein.
Body Composition. When you'd like a reading, you start it yourself using the electrode on the Band, and the result appears in the app. It gives estimates for fat, muscle, protein and body water, so you can follow changes over time as a trend rather than a single number.
Workouts and training programmes. Thrive includes workouts, plans and training programmes if you'd like some structure for your strength sessions.
Your own normal. Thrive learns what's usual for you across nine areas of your health, including the protein in the meals you log, so a change shows up against your own history.

You can ask Ask Thrive questions in everyday language, such as "How much protein have I logged on an average day over the past fortnight?" or "How has my muscle reading changed since I started strength sessions twice a week?"

Thrive also keeps track right across your health, including blood tests, medications and supplements and your medical history.

If you work with a dietitian or trainer, Thrive Loops lets you share selected information with a participating trainer, health professional or someone you trust. You decide what to share and with whom, and you can change or revoke access at any time.

Taking it to your GP

What Thrive shows isn't a diagnosis, and it can't tell you whether you're losing muscle in a way that needs attention. What it can do is make the conversation easier. Before an appointment, open the Thrive app with a few weeks of logged meals and your Body Composition trend, and use Ask Thrive to put your questions into words. Our piece on getting ready for a GP appointment with Ask Thrive walks through it.

Before you buy

You'll need a compatible iPhone or Android phone, because the Thrive app is on the Apple App Store and Google Play, in Australia and eight other countries. The app stores are only for downloading the app, though; they aren't where you buy the Band or a Plan. You can buy at thrivehealthband.com, or at a participating World Gym Australia location or health and wellness clinic.

The Thrive Health Band is A$660 for the first year under the launch offer (usually A$740). That includes the Band, which is yours to keep, and 12 months of the Thrive by Optihealth app, My Health on the web, Health Fingerprint, Ask Thrive, Thrive Loops and your data, paid once upfront. Prices are in AUD and include GST. Free Australia-wide shipping during the launch offer (usually A$14.99).

Nothing renews automatically. After your first year, you can get a new band plus 12 more months for A$660, or keep your band and renew the Thrive Connected Plan for A$240 a year (A$20 a month).

You're also covered by a 12-month Thrive Care Warranty, and consumer guarantees under Australian Consumer Law always apply. See Returns if something is wrong with your purchase.

Common questions

Do I need more protein after 70?

The Australian Nutrient Reference Values set a higher recommended intake from 70: 81 grams a day for men and 57 grams for women, compared with 64 and 46 grams for younger adults.

Can I get enough protein without eating meat?

Yes. Eggs, dairy, legumes, tofu, nuts and seeds all provide protein. If you eat little or no meat, a dietitian can help you plan the mix.

Does Thrive track protein?

Yes. The Thrive by Optihealth app adds up the protein in the meals you log, shows how often you reach your protein goal, and lets you ask Ask Thrive about your recent pattern.

For more answers, see Questions.