Plant-Based Protein for Older Adults: Can You Build Muscle Without Meat?

Your muscles are made of protein, and they need a steady supply to repair and adapt. With age, many people lose some muscle and strength. The severe form is called sarcopenia. Australian and New Zealand guidelines note that it affects almost one in three older people, and that muscle loss is not inevitable [R08].

Protein is only part of the story. Resistance exercise is the first-line approach for keeping muscle, and protein helps mainly when it is combined with that training [R08]. Many clinicians suggest food alone is unlikely to produce the same result.

Plant foods such as beans, lentils, tofu, soy, nuts and whole grains supply protein. Whether plant protein builds muscle as well as animal protein is not settled in the sources used for this guide (evidence varies, so ask a dietitian or your clinician).

• Healthy older people are suggested to aim for at least 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight a day. People who are ill or at risk of malnutrition may need 1.2 to 1.5 grams [R09].
• Protein may be considered at 1.0 to 1.5 grams per kilogram for older adults with sarcopenia, except where there is significant kidney disease [R08].
• Protein helps mainly when combined with resistance exercise [R08].
• Resistance training supports muscle strength, mass, function and independence in older adults [R06].
• Adults are advised to do muscle-strengthening activity at least two days a week, and adults 65 and older are advised to add balance and strength work [R07].

1. Get a personal target. Talk to your clinician or a dietitian. Use the 1.0 to 1.2 grams per kilogram range as a starting point, and remember that one kilogram is about 2.2 pounds.
2. Spread protein across the day. Include a protein food at breakfast, lunch and dinner, rather than saving most of it for one meal.
3. Choose a variety of plant proteins. Beans, lentils, tofu, soy milk, nuts and whole grains all contribute. Mix them through the week.
4. Make meals seated if standing is hard. Keep a stool or chair near the stove or counter. Prepare simple, one-pot meals.
5. Pair food with training. Add strength work on at least two days a week, seated or standing [R07]. Protein supports training; it does not replace it.
6. Check before you change anything. If you have kidney disease, or take medication, ask your clinician before raising your protein intake [R08].