Men over 40 need significantly more protein than standard advice suggests. Here's your exact number — based on your weight, training, and goal.
Your Details
kg
years
Training Frequency (resistance training per week)
Your Goal
Enter your bodyweight and age to continue.
—
grams / day
Your daily protein target
Per-Meal Breakdown
3 meals / day
—
grams per meal
4 meals / day
—
grams per meal
Spreading protein across 3–4 meals optimises muscle protein synthesis. Each meal should hit ~30–40g to trigger the leucine threshold — the signal that tells your body to build and repair muscle.
Top Protein Sources — Hit Your Number
🍗
Chicken breast
100g cooked
31g
🥩
Lean beef (sirloin)
100g cooked
26g
🐟
Salmon / white fish
100g cooked
22–25g
🥚
Whole eggs
2 large eggs
12g
🫙
Greek yoghurt (full fat)
200g serving
20g
🥛
Cottage cheese
200g serving
24g
🫘
Lentils / chickpeas
200g cooked
17–18g
🥤
Whey protein shake
1 scoop (~30g)
22–24g
Why this target is higher than mainstream advice
Most general guidelines recommend 0.8g per kg — designed to prevent deficiency, not optimise performance. Men over 40 face anabolic resistance: muscle protein synthesis responds less efficiently to protein and training stimulus, meaning you need more protein to get the same muscle-building response as someone in their 20s.
Research from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) and multiple meta-analyses (Morton et al. 2018; Stokes et al. 2018) consistently shows 1.6–2.2g/kg/day as the optimal range for muscle retention and growth in exercising adults — with higher amounts warranted during caloric deficits to prevent lean mass loss.