Protein is not just for muscle growth, it is one of the key nutrients that helps you stay strong, mobile and independent as you age. Learn why your protein needs change over time, how to spread intake across the day, and where whey, plant protein and collagen can support a healthy ageing routine.
11 min read
Healthy ageing is not just about living longer. It is about staying strong, mobile and capable for as many years as possible.
That is why protein deserves more attention.
Most people think of protein as something for gym-goers, athletes or people trying to build muscle. But protein is not just about training. It is one of the key nutrients your body relies on to maintain strength, repair tissue, support immune function and protect physical independence as you age.
From your thirties onwards, maintaining muscle gradually becomes harder. Your body can become less responsive to the same amount of protein that may have worked well when you were younger. This does not mean muscle loss is inevitable, but it does mean your nutrition needs to be more intentional.
The good news is simple: with enough protein, regular strength training and a consistent routine, you can support your body for the long term.
Longevity has become a major wellness topic, but the goal is not just to add more years to your life.
The real goal is healthspan.
Healthspan refers to the number of years you spend in good health, with the strength, mobility, energy and independence to keep doing the things you enjoy.
That might mean training well, travelling, carrying groceries, playing with your kids or grandkids, recovering well from illness, or simply getting through the day without feeling physically limited.
Healthy ageing does not need to be complicated.
The biggest foundations are still the most practical:
There is no need to jump straight to complicated protocols. The fundamentals do the heavy lifting.
Muscle is often thought of as something you build in the gym, but it does far more than help you lift weights.
Skeletal muscle is one of the body’s most important metabolic tissues. It helps regulate blood sugar, supports bone strength, contributes to immune function and acts as an amino acid reserve during illness, injury or periods of stress.
In everyday terms, muscle helps you stay capable.
It supports simple but important things like walking up stairs, getting off the floor, carrying shopping bags, lifting luggage, training safely and staying steady on your feet.
Sarcopenia is the progressive loss of muscle mass, strength and function that can happen with age.
It is more common later in life, but the process can begin much earlier than many people realise. Muscle mass can naturally begin to decline from the mid-thirties, and that sarcopenia affects an estimated one in five Australians over the age of 65.
This is why building and maintaining muscle before older age matters.
Protein and resistance training are two of the most effective lifestyle tools for supporting muscle over time.
The standard protein recommendation in Australia is often listed as 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
That number is a useful baseline, but it is important to understand what it is designed to do. It helps prevent deficiency. It is not necessarily the ideal target for maintaining muscle, strength and function across your lifespan.
As you get older, your muscles may need a stronger protein signal to respond properly.
Anabolic resistance is the age-related decline in how strongly your muscles respond to protein and exercise.
In simple terms, older muscle can be harder to stimulate.
The same low-protein meal that may have been enough when you were younger may not provide enough of a signal later in life to properly support muscle repair and maintenance.
That is why protein amount, timing and quality all become more important with age.
For many adults over 40, especially those who train or want to actively support muscle maintenance, a more useful target is often around 1.2–1.6g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
For a 75kg adult, that works out to roughly 90–120g of protein per day.
This does not mean you need to track every gram forever. It simply means protein should be included intentionally across the day, rather than left mostly to dinner.
Getting enough total protein matters, but distribution matters too.
Many people eat a low-protein breakfast, a light lunch and then a large protein-heavy dinner. By the end of the day, the total may look okay, but your body has missed several opportunities to use protein effectively.
Muscle repair and maintenance are stimulated when a meal provides enough essential amino acids, particularly leucine.
Leucine is one of the key amino acids involved in switching on muscle protein synthesis, which is the process of building and repairing muscle tissue.
For many adults, a practical target is around 25–35g of protein per main meal.
A simple daily structure could look like this:
| Meal | Protein target | Example |
| Breakfast | 25-35g | Greek yoghurt with oats, eggs on toast or a protein smoothie |
| Lunch | 25-35g | Chicken salad, tuna wrap, tofu bowl or leftovers |
| Dinner | 25-30g | Fish, lean meat, tofu, tempeh or legumes with vegetables |
| Snack or post-training | 20-30g | WPI 90, WPC 80 or Plant Protein shake |
The goal is not perfection. It is consistency.
Breakfast is one of the easiest places to improve protein intake.
Common breakfasts like toast, cereal, fruit or coffee on the go are often low in protein. They may be convenient, but they do not always provide enough amino acids to properly support muscle maintenance.
A more protein-forward breakfast could include:
This small shift can make the rest of the day easier. Instead of trying to catch up at dinner, you give your body a better spread of protein from the start.
Not all protein sources are the same.
For muscle maintenance, the body needs essential amino acids. These are amino acids your body cannot make on its own, so they need to come from food.
Protein quality is influenced by its amino acid profile and digestibility. In other words, it matters whether a protein provides the amino acids your body needs, and whether your body can absorb and use them efficiently.
Whey protein is naturally rich in essential amino acids and leucine, which makes it one of the most effective protein sources for supporting muscle protein synthesis.
WPI 90 is a high-protein, low-lactose whey protein isolate made with Australian grass-fed whey. It is a practical option when you want a lean, easy-to-digest protein source for breakfast, post-training recovery or busy days.
WPC 80 is a quality whey protein concentrate with a complete amino acid profile and creamier texture. It works well in smoothies, oats or as an everyday protein option.
For those who avoid dairy or prefer plant-based nutrition, Plant Protein can help support daily protein intake in a simple, dairy-free format.
Plant-based protein can be especially useful when you want a convenient option that fits a vegan, dairy-free or more plant-focused routine.
You can absolutely meet your protein needs through whole foods.
Eggs, Greek yoghurt, milk, fish, lean meat, chicken, tofu, tempeh, legumes, nuts and seeds can all contribute to your daily intake.
The challenge is consistency.
On busy days, or when appetite is lower, it can be harder to reach your target through meals alone. This is where a protein powder can be useful.
It is not a replacement for a balanced diet. It is a practical tool to help close the gap.
Collagen is often grouped with protein powders, but it works differently.
Whey and plant proteins are best used to help meet your daily protein needs and support muscle maintenance. Collagen is better understood as support for connective tissue.
Connective tissue includes joints, tendons, ligaments, skin and bones. These tissues become increasingly important if you want to stay active as you age.
Collagen provides amino acids such as glycine, proline and hydroxyproline. These are the building blocks the body uses to support connective tissue structure.
True Collagen is hydrolysed, unflavoured and easy to add to coffee, smoothies, oats or water.
The key point is simple: collagen and protein powder are complementary, not interchangeable.
Use whey or plant protein to support your daily protein intake. Use collagen to support connective tissue.
Protein gives your body the raw materials. Strength training gives your body the reason to use them.
Resistance training can include lifting weights, using resistance bands, bodyweight exercises or functional strength work. You do not need to train like an athlete to benefit.
Regular strength training helps stimulate muscle protein synthesis and can make muscle more responsive to the protein you eat.
For healthy ageing, a strong starting point is:
This combination is more useful than chasing complicated supplement routines.
Some people worry that eating more protein may be harmful for kidney health.
For healthy adults, a higher protein intake within sensible ranges is generally considered safe. The concern is more relevant for people with existing kidney disease or specific medical conditions.
If you have kidney disease, reduced kidney function or have been advised to limit protein, speak with your doctor or an Accredited Practising Dietitian before changing your intake.
For most healthy, active adults, the bigger concern is often not eating enough protein to support muscle, recovery and long-term function.
Healthy ageing does not require a perfect meal plan.
A simple day could look like this:
| Time | Example meal | Protein focus |
| Breakfast | Greek yoghurt, oats, berries and WPC 80 | Protein-rich start |
| Lunch | Chicken, tofu or tuna bowl with rice and vegetables | Whole-food protein |
| Post-training | WPI 90 or Plant Protein shake | Convenient recovery |
| Dinner | Salmon, lean meat, tempeh or legumes with vegetables | Protein plus micronutrients |
| Evening | True Collagen in tea or True Collagen Hot Chocolate | Connective tissue support |
This kind of routine is realistic, repeatable and easy to adjust based on appetite, training and lifestyle.
| Product | How it supports healthy ageing | Best for |
| WPI 90 | High-protein, low-lactose whey to support muscle maintenance and recovery | Breakfast, post-training or daily protein |
| WPC 80 | Complete whey protein with a creamy texture and quality amino acid profile | Smoothies, oats and everyday use |
| Plant Protein | Dairy-free protein to help support daily protein intake | Vegan, dairy-free or plant-based routines |
| Collagen | Provides collagen peptides to support connective tissue such as joints, tendons and skin | Daily collagen support |
Many adults over 40 may benefit from around 1.2–1.6g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, depending on activity level, goals and overall health.
For a 75kg adult, that is roughly 90–120g per day.
Yes. Protein powder can be a practical way to close protein gaps, especially at breakfast, after training or on busy days.
It is not essential, but it can make consistent protein intake easier.
No. Collagen is not a complete muscle-supporting protein in the same way whey or plant protein can be.
Collagen is better used for connective tissue support, while whey or plant protein should be used to help meet daily protein needs.
Yes. Spreading protein across breakfast, lunch and dinner is generally more useful than eating most of it in one large evening meal.
Aiming for around 25–35g of protein per main meal is a practical place to start.
Yes. Whole foods such as eggs, dairy, fish, lean meat, tofu, tempeh and legumes can all help you meet your needs.
Supplements are simply a convenient option when food alone is not practical.
For healthy adults, higher protein intake within appropriate ranges is generally considered safe.
People with kidney disease or specific medical conditions should follow advice from their healthcare professional.
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION: all content provided here is of a general nature only and is not a substitute for individualised professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and reliance should not be placed on it. For personalised medical or nutrition advice, please make an appointment with your doctor, dietitian or qualified healthcare professional.
