Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength that begins around age 30 and accelerates after 60. The average sedentary adult loses 3-8 percent of muscle mass per decade, and the rate roughly doubles after 60. Beyond the cosmetic concern, sarcopenia is linked to falls, fractures, longer hospital stays, and reduced independence in older age. Two interventions repeatedly stand out in the research: progressive resistance training and elevated protein intake. The PROT-AGE study group, an international consensus panel, recommends a minimum of 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for healthy adults over 65, and 1.5 g/kg for those who are physically active or recovering from illness. Critically, the same group emphasizes per-meal distribution. Older muscles need at least 30-40 grams of high-quality protein per meal to clear the leucine threshold and trigger synthesis, due to anabolic resistance. Splitting protein evenly across breakfast, lunch, and dinner outperforms loading it all at dinner, which is the typical Western pattern. Combining 1.2-1.5 g/kg of protein with 2-3 weekly resistance training sessions can slow or even partially reverse sarcopenia. Use the protein calculator with age-aware adjustments to see your target — it pushes the per-kg rate up automatically when you enter an age above 60.