How Much Protein Do You Need at Every Age?

The human body contains more than 600 muscles, each of which has a specific function. Some control actions such as swallowing, while others allow our skeleton to move effectively. When you eat protein, it helps to repair muscle and to maintain it, but it won’t make them bigger. This is controlled by the amount of exercise you do and its type, as well as your gender, age and your hormones. The amount of protein you need is dependent on your age, gender and weight.

Generally, protein should account for 15 to 25% of your daily energy intake and teenage girls and women aged 19 to 70 require about 46 g, while men and teenage boys need approximately 64 g. Older men and women aged 70 and above need more protein at 81 g and 57 g respectively. For women this amount is only higher if they are pregnant or breastfeeding.