How Much Protein Does A Senior Citizen Need In A Day?

In spite of the physical changes that aging brings, the amount of protein your body requires does not change significantly. As you age, your metabolism begins to slow and your body develops more fat and less lean body mass. Older adults are usually less physically active than younger adults and therefore require fewer calories, but the recommended daily protein intake remains fairly static unless you have a chronic disease, such as hypertension. The recommended daily protein allowance does vary depending on the agency issuing the guidelines.

IOM

The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults consume .80 grams, or .03 ounces, of protein for every kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, of body weight. Alternatively, the IOM upper daily protein intakes are 46 grams, or 1.6 ounces, for women and 56 grams, or 1.9 ounces, for men. These recommendations apply to adults age 51 and older. These are the same recommendations the IOM has for men and women under age 51.

Food Plate/Pyramid

In the January 2008 issue of "The Journal of Nutrition," the U.S. Department of Agriculture published a modified version of its MyPyramid recommendations. This version is geared toward meeting the nutritional needs of adults age 70 and over. In the recommendations, the USDA recommends that women ages 25 and older, regardless of activity level, take in 5.5 ounces of protein each day and men the same age consume slightly more, 6.5 ounces daily.

DASH

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating plan was developed by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to help combat high blood pressure. The NHLBI recommends protein intake consist of 18 percent of your daily caloric intake. One sample DASH meal, a chicken salad recipe, has 176 calories per serving; the protein content measures 27 grams, or just under 1 ounce. Hypertension disproportionately affects the elderly; 78 percent of women and 64 percent of men over age 65 have the condition, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The disease affects 33 percent of the general adult population, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Tips

Incorporate quality protein sources into your diet such as lean meat, poultry, fish and nuts. Your body treats vegetable protein the same as it treats animal protein, so also consider lentils, soy and beans. As you age, you are at risk for certain nutrient deficiencies. If you are a senior citizen, you may not be consuming enough calcium, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, potassium or fiber. The average adult over age 70 receives no more than 50 percent of the recommended daily allowance for those vitamins and minerals, according to information provided by Tufts University researchers in the "The Journal of Nutrition" article. Speak with your physician about your current dietary habits and the use of dietary supplements.