Why Most Adults Aren’t Getting Enough Protein—And What to Do About It

When it comes to nutrition, protein is often crowned king—praised for muscle building, satiety, and repair. But here's a reality check: most people, especially older adults and athletes, aren't getting enough protein at the right time, and the long-trusted Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) might be doing more harm than good.

Let’s break down why.

1. The RDA Isn’t Enough—Especially as You Age or Train Hard

The current RDA for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight—just enough to prevent deficiency, not optimize health. It was never designed for athletes, older adults, or people recovering from illness or injury. In high-demand states—whether that’s competitive sports or aging physiology—the body’s protein needs increase significantly.

In fact, research now recommends 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg/day for older adults to maintain muscle mass and function.

2. More Than Quantity: Timing and Distribution Matter

Beyond how much protein you eat, when you eat it matters more than most people realize.

Most adults eat the majority of their daily protein at dinner, leaving breakfast and lunch protein-poor. This pattern is problematic. Why? Because muscle protein synthesis (MPS)—the process by which your body builds and repairs muscle—is triggered in a dose-dependent way by leucine, an amino acid found in high-quality protein sources (Layman, 2024).

To maximize MPS, especially in older adults, you need ~2.8–3.0 grams of leucine per meal, which translates to about 30–35 grams of high-quality protein per meal.

3. The Anabolic Window Is Short

When you eat enough protein, your body ramps up MPS for only 2 to 3 hours. Then it returns to baseline—even if amino acids are still circulating in your blood. This means stacking all your protein into one big meal (like dinner) doesn’t boost muscle building more—you’re essentially wasting the excess.

Instead, distributing protein evenly across meals ensures that your body gets multiple opportunities to rebuild and repair muscle throughout the day.

4. What the Research Shows

A recent review by Dr. Donald Layman (2024) highlights:

• Older adults require more leucine to trigger MPS, due to age-related “anabolic resistance.”

• Evenly distributed protein intake boosts 24-hour MPS more than skewed patterns.

• High-protein breakfasts improve muscle mass, fat loss, and even metabolic health.

• During weight loss, high-protein, well-timed meals help preserve lean mass.

In short: it’s not just about hitting your daily protein target—it’s about when and how you hit it.

5. Practical Takeaways

If you want to maintain muscle, support recovery, and age well, here’s what you can do:

✅ Aim for at least 1.2–1.6 g/kg of protein daily 

if you're over 60, active, or recovering from illness.

✅ Include ~30 g of high-quality protein at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

✅ Choose leucine-rich sources like whey, eggs, meat, or legumes + grains.

✅ Pair protein intake with resistance exercise for best results.

✅ Don’t “save” all your protein for dinner—spread it out!

The Bottom Line

The old advice to “just hit your daily protein” is outdated. New science shows that how and when you eat protein is just as important as how much. The RDA is a starting line—not the finish line—especially for older adults, athletes, or anyone who wants to stay strong, lean, and healthy over time.

It’s time to upgrade your protein strategy—one meal at a time.

Layman, D. K. (2024). Impacts of protein quantity and distribution on body composition. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11, 1388986. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1388986