Types of Protein to Help Older Adults Retain Muscle

 

Note: this article was originally posted on August 11, 2023, and has been updated and reposted on November 23, 2025.

Understanding Sarcopenia

The inability to retain muscle and strength associated with aging is called sarcopenia. Since adults lose approximately 1% of muscle mass each year after the age of thirty [1], knowing how to retain muscle as an adult is essential, even though the decline in strength normally only becomes noticeable by age fifty [2].

Muscle loss affects 5–13% of adults between sixty and seventy, and up to 50% of adults over eighty years of age have sarcopenia [2].

Not being able to retain muscle mass reduces activity levels, lowers quality of life, increases risk of falls, and worsens metabolic and bone health [3].

Most people have never paid close attention to the amount and quality of protein they eat, often choosing foods based on taste, cost, or ethical or religious reasons. These are important considerations, but they are not the only ones that matter.  As outlined in a previous article on protein for older adults, high-quality protein containing sufficient leucine is necessary for maintaining muscle [4], but not all protein foods are equal.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, including muscle. There are twenty amino acids, grouped as essential or non-essential. Essential amino acids, such as leucine, cannot be produced by the body in sufficient amounts and must be obtained through diet [5].

The leucine content of protein is critical because leucine triggers mTOR signaling in muscle, which stimulates muscle protein synthesis. For this reason, proteins consumed by older adults must contain enough leucine to support muscle maintenance and mobility[5].

Plant proteins generally contain lower levels of leucine compared to animal proteins [7]. Grains such as wheat contain less than 7% leucine [6], and even quinoa, considered a “complete protein,” contains only 4.5% leucine [6]. People who want a more plant-based diet may turn to legumes (“beans”), but these are usually incomplete proteins, meaning that they are missing some essential amino acids, and generally low in leucine. Even soybeans, a complete protein, contain only about 8% leucine [6].

Dietary recommendations for older adults emphasize a minimum of 20–30 g of protein per meal, with at least 2.3–3 g of leucine per meal, to effectively stimulate muscle protein synthesis [7][8].

To recover lost muscle mass, the recommended intake is 3 g of leucine at each of three meals, along with 25–30 g of protein per meal [7][8].

Protein Sources to Help Retain Muscle 

Animal proteins are highly bioavailable, complete proteins, and the richest sources of leucine. One cup of low-fat (1%) cottage cheese contains approximately 2.9 g of leucine, enough for a full meal. A cup of plain yogurt contains roughly 1.3 g, and a cup of Greek yogurt provides about 1.2 g. Only 3 oz (85 g) of ground beef or pork contains ~1.8 g, and the same amount of chicken breast provides about 2.25 g — all close to the per-meal leucine target for older adults [9].

Soybeans, a complete plant-based protein, contain only 0.28 g of leucine per half-cup, and firm tofu, a concentrated form of soy protein, provides approximately 0.73 g per 3 oz (85 g). To reach the minimum leucine threshold from firm tofu, an older adult would need to eat about ¾ pound, which may exceed their typical appetite [9].

Incomplete plant proteins, such as lentils, contain 0.7 g of leucine per half-cup, and black beans contain 0.61 g per half-cup. This means an older adult would need to consume more than 3 cups of lentils or black beans, or 5½ cups of chickpeas (0.42 g leucine per half-cup), to meet the minimum leucine requirement per meal [9]

Older adults who want to eat a more plant-based diet need to ensure they consume adequate, highly bioavailable protein rich in leucine to maintain their muscle mass. A practical approach is to “prioritize protein” at each meal [8].

[NOTE: A recent article explains differences in protein bioavailability between plant-based and animal-based sources.]

Prioritize Protein to Retain Muscle 

“Prioritizing protein” means first deciding which protein you will eat at a meal, and then building the rest of the meal around that. For older adults, the protein chosen should provide 25–30 g of highly bioavailable protein and 2.3–3 g of leucine per meal [7].

For breakfast, choosing high-leucine proteins such as 1 cup of cottage cheese or 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt will provide enough protein and leucine to meet the minimum target. In contrast, 2 eggs contain only 12 g of protein and ~1.2 g leucine, which is less than half of the recommended per-meal leucine for older adults [9].

For lunch, 4 oz (113 g) of canned tuna provides about 4 g of leucine and 21 g of protein, and 3 oz (85 g) of cooked chicken breast provides 2.4 g of leucine and 26.5 g of protein. To increase leucine further, you can add 1 oz (28 g) of pumpkin seeds (~0.7 g leucine) or 1 oz (28 g) of sunflower seeds (~0.46 g leucine) to a salad [9].

For dinner, steak is one of the richest sources of leucine, with 4 oz (113 g) providing ~3.4 g, although cost may be a consideration. More budget-friendly options for those who don’t avoid it for religious reasons would be 4 oz (113 g) of pork chops (~27 g protein, 2.5 g leucine) or 4 oz of ground beef (~16 g protein, 2.5 g leucine). If there is a slight shortfall, the protein content of the meal can be boosted by adding a small serving of Greek yogurt [9].

Final Thoughts…

The quality of life and overall health of older adults depend on staying active, which requires adequate muscle mass. Preventing sarcopenia requires consuming sufficient high-quality protein that contains all essential amino acids, including an adequate amount of leucine to stimulate muscle growth.

Since muscle mass is lost at an estimated rate of 1% per year after age thirty, the choice of protein at each meal is crucial for maintaining strength and mobility. 

For those who would like help, we offer the Healthy Aging Package, which helps ensure that middle-aged and older adults eat sufficient protein and leucine at each meal to maintain their muscle and bone mass as they age.

To your good health, 

Joy

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References

1. Keller K, Engelhardt M. Strength and muscle mass loss with aging process. Age and strength loss. Muscles, Ligaments and Tendons Journal. 2013;3(4):346-350. [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3940510/]
2. von Haehling S, Morley JE, Anker SD. An overview of sarcopenia: facts and numbers on prevalence and clinical impact. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2010 Dec;1(2):129–133. doi:10.1007/s13539-010-0014-2. Epub 2010 Dec 17. PMID: 21475695; PMCID: PMC3060646 [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3060646/]
3. Fielding RA, Vellas B, Evans WJ, et al. Sarcopenia: an emerging public health problem. StatPearls. 2021. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560813/]
4. Szwiega S, Pencharz PB, Rafii M, et al. Dietary leucine requirement of older men and women is higher than current recommendations. Am J Clin Nutr. 2020;113(2):410–419. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqaa323 [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7851820/]
5. Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Baeyens JP, Bauer JM, et al. Sarcopenia in older people: European consensus on definition and diagnosis. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2010;65A(3): 101–116. doi:10.1093/gerona/glp018 [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20392703/]
6. Guo Y, Fu X, Hu Q, Chen L, Zuo H. The effect of leucine supplementation on sarcopenia-related measures in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 17 randomized controlled trials. Front Nutr. 2022;9:929891. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.929891 [https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.929891/]
7. Tanaka T, Simonsick E, Ferrucci L, et al. Leucine intake and risk of impaired physical function and frailty in older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2022;78(2):241–247. doi:10.1093/gerona/glac219 [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36107140/]
8. MDPI Nutrients. Beneficial effects of leucine supplementation on sarcopenia: a systematic review. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2504. doi:10.3390/nu11102504 [https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/10/2504]
9. USDA FoodData Central. Leucine content of common foods. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov. Accessed [November 23, 2025].

 

 

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