Expert Answer
How much protein per day for longevity?
Quick Answer
Most experts recommend 1.2-2 g/kg of body weight per day — well above the 0.8 g/kg RDA — paired with resistance training. Attia aims near 2 g/kg; Patrick says 1.2-1.6 g/kg (up to 2 for recomposition). Huberman's rule of thumb is ~1 gram per pound. Higher protein is protective after 50 because sarcopenia, not mTOR, dominates aging risk.
Strong Consensus
on Protein overall
What Researchers Say
Targets 1.2-1.6 g/kg and aims near 2 g/kg to buffer variability; argues higher protein lowers all-cause mortality after 50-65 because sarcopenia, not the mouse mTOR-lifespan effect, drives human aging.
1.2-1.6 g/kg (up to 2 for recomposition) on ideal body weight, safe for healthy kidneys; resolves the cancer worry by noting exercise redirects IGF-1 to muscle and brain.
Rule of thumb ~1 gram per pound of body weight, mostly whole foods; whey beats collagen for muscle due to higher leucine.
Own-voice "eat more protein for longevity" — 30-40 g per meal, protein and fat before carbs — while noting an mTOR balance is needed.
Plant-forward Blueprint at ~25% protein; his only stated figure (1.2-2.2 g/kg) is in a bone-health context — agrees protein matters without the muscle-maximalist framing.
Detailed Answer
The short answer is 1.2-2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day — paired with resistance training. That's well above the 0.8 g/kg RDA, which the experts treat as a deficiency floor, not an optimum. Attia targets 1.2-1.6 g/kg and deliberately aims near 2 g/kg to buffer daily variability; Patrick lands at 1.2-1.6 g/kg (up to 2 for recomposition), calculated on ideal body weight; Huberman's own-voice rule of thumb is ~1 gram per pound; Hyman recommends 30-40 g per meal.
The catch every quantitative expert adds: protein only "works" with resistance training. Anabolic resistance in aging is driven mostly by inactivity, not age itself — training restores the muscle-protein-synthesis response.
What about the "high protein shortens lifespan" worry? That low-protein, low-IGF-1/mTOR view comes from guest Valter Longo (hosted by both Patrick and Hyman), not from the five core experts as their own position. Patrick's resolution: higher protein does raise IGF-1, but exercise redirects it toward muscle and brain and away from cancer cells. Attia's: human aging after 50 is dominated by sarcopenia, frailty, and falls — so the mouse low-protein-longevity finding doesn't transfer. The honest open question Attia flags: no controlled trial has settled low-protein-plus-training in the elderly.
On sources: leucine is the key trigger for muscle protein synthesis, and animal protein is more leucine-dense, so plant-based eaters need more total (Attia cites ~125 g/day). Distribute across 3-4 meals of ~20-25 g; daily total matters more than the "anabolic window."
Related Questions
How much protein to build muscle after 50?
Older adults need around 1.6 g/kg to overcome anabolic resistance, paired with resistance training — Attia frames sarcopenia as the dominant aging risk, so more protein (not less) after 50.
Does high protein shorten your lifespan?
That view comes from guest Valter Longo (low IGF-1/mTOR), not the core experts. Patrick notes exercise redirects IGF-1 to muscle; Attia argues human aging is dominated by sarcopenia, not mTOR.
How much protein per meal?
About 20-25 g across 3-4 meals, with a protein-rich first meal (Hyman suggests 30-40 g). Daily total matters more than the "anabolic window."
Is plant protein enough for longevity?
It works but you need more total — plant protein is less leucine-dense. Attia cites roughly 125 g/day for plant-based eaters to hit essential-amino-acid targets.
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