What Women Over 40 Need to Know About the Protein Craze
When concierge members and I discuss how much protein women need, the first words that come to mind are “muscle,” “burn fat,” and “build.” To this, I respond with: “yes, yes, and yes!”
Yet, there is SO MUCH MORE when it comes to proper protein intake.
Most women don’t realize that protein not only helps us build and maintain muscle, but it is also vital to maintaining the integrity of your tissues and organs.
Most women don’t realize that protein not only helps us build and maintain muscle, but it is also vital to maintaining the integrity of your tissues and organs.
Protein is the foundation of your metabolism – how your body converts food/drink into energy to keep you alive and functioning including an array of the chemical processes happening in your body's cells every second. Protein helps regulate blood sugar and blood lipids (fat). In other words, PROTEIN IS IMPORTANT!
Here are a few benefits to adequate protein intake that women love.
Protein Burns Fat
Ever wonder how muscle actually “burns fat” (which is a completely misunderstood concept that I’ll save for another day)?
One way is that muscle secretes proteins that help regulate metabolism in all other tissues in the body. The stronger and healthier your muscles, the better your body can burn the carbohydrates and fats. This phenomenon is known by leaders in the industry as our “metabolic currency.” The stronger your muscles, the richer your metabolism.
Protein Improves Emotional Health
Protein is essential for life, longevity, and yes, even our emotional well-being.
Protein supports our emotional health by providing the building blocks—amino acids—of protein that help produce neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. These brain chemicals play a crucial role in regulating your mood, motivation, and stress levels. A diet with enough high-quality protein can help stabilize energy and mood, reduce anxiety, and support overall mental well-being.
Protein Promotes Hormone Health
Hormones like your thyroid and insulin are made from amino acids (again, the building blocks of proteins). Protein is truly everything.
But beware: Not all proteins are created equally. Here’s a quick lesson on what makes a complete protein.
While many fruits and vegetables contain protein, in most cases, a complete protein tends to come from animals. Can Vegans or Vegetarians consume ample protein to maintain their strength and fitness goals? Yes, although you may have more limited high protein sources and need to eat more calories in that process.
In nutrition science circles, a complete protein contains all nine essential amino acids. These amino acids must come from food because our bodies do not produce them on their own. Animal-based foods like meat, eggs, dairy, and fish are naturally complete proteins. Some plant-based sources like quinoa, soy, and buckwheat are also complete. You can combine certain plant foods—like rice and beans—and can also create a complete protein profile.
How Much Protein Do Women Need?
Let’s get down now to the nitty gritty. Why do we care so much about protein intake as we age as women?
Because as women, we begin to lose muscle mass at the age of 30. Our primary goal in our exercise after 30 should be to first maintain then build muscle. (New research has also shown us that women in their teens and through their 20s require more protein during the luteal phase of their menstrual cycles. More about the lag in research on women’s health in a future article!)
If you are past 40, I promise you the new research on women’s health is worth your attention.
There is so much confusion around the actual numbers. Let me shed some light based on the latest research CONDUCTED ON WOMEN!
Quick disclaimer: I am no medical doctor. I am passionate about helping women build strength, and I pour over any reputable research I can get my hands on to help you feel your best. I encourage you to talk to your doctor but understand that it is possible they do not know the latest research. Most medical doctors do not receive more than a few hours of their medical training on women’s diet or exercise. Therefore, I caution you: your doctor may not be aware of the latest research, but you can share it with them to discuss your specific needs.
But I can promise you one thing: you are not eating enough protein.
Even I struggle to reach my daily protein needs. Yet, like drinking enough water, eating enough protein is a daily goal. (Want to learn how to get more protein without eating all day? Join my newsletter and I’ll send you the link to my next article with specific ways to do just that.)
Research has shown that for women aged 20-35, daily protein intake is optimally 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of weight per day. Older women, especially those in perimenopause and menopause, may need slightly higher amounts.
Another study from 2023 recommends that you should aim for 1.4-2.2g per kilogram per day of protein distributed evenly across meals that take place every 3-4 hours. This helps maintain lean body mass and supports body composition and weight loss. A 2020 study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that women on a high-protein diet had higher lean body mass and lower fat mass compared to those on a standard-protein diet. Similarly, a 2015 study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition showed that high-protein diets combined with heavy resistance training led to greater reductions in fat mass and body fat percentage.
For perimenopausal and menopausal women, recent research shows daily protein needs increase to about 2-2.3g per kilogram of body weight. As we age, we need higher doses of protein because we are more resistant to the beautiful muscle-building effects of protein and exercise – and you do need BOTH, ladies! (Here is a barbell complex routine that will help you build strength.)
The research varies on recommendations, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t share that athletes need even more protein. Click here to calculate your daily protein needs!
As always, consult your preferred medical professional before making drastic changes to your diet, but at the very least, this chart gives you a benchmark to see if you are eating enough protein now. (Spoiler alert: you probably aren’t!)
If I had a dollar for every time a woman tells me “hot pilates” or “Peloton rides” are her REAL resistance training, I’d have a second home in California. If I had another dollar for every frustrated woman I meet who is trying everything yet cannot lose the weight and is consuming less protein than the standard for their body and lifestyle, then I’d have ANOTHER home in Europe! That’s how common these two obstacles are for 40+ women who want to feel great in their bodies again.
In recent studies, older women experienced a smaller increase in muscle protein synthesis (when protein is consumed and leads to muscle growth). Other studies show a drop in muscle protein synthesis up to 40% compared to younger women, even when they consumed the same amount of protein. This very same research also showed that in order to achieve the same muscle growth as a woman under 40, an older woman may require a greater quantity of protein.
The Importance of Protein for Women Over 40
See, you need to lift weights AND eat. Food is fuel, and protein is everything when you hit midlife.
You have the facts for protein, but you may still feel uncertain about lifting weights. I have videos on YouTube that share beginner movements, as well as tips for eating protein throughout the day (like my popular egg breakfast tutorial!).
And if you need even more customization in your movement and diet, you can get on my calendar for a free 30-minute consultation.
