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.
“I think when you look at those data you realize it's probably closer to two grams per kilogram or about a gram per pound of body weight”
Peter Attia, on the record @ 00:45
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.
“the most effective way to combat anabolic resistance as we age is through regular physical activity combined with a higher daily protein intake ideally around 1.6 gram per kilogram body weight”
Rhonda Patrick, on the record @ 07:37
Rule of thumb ~1 gram per pound of body weight, mostly whole foods; whey beats collagen for muscle due to higher leucine.
“I am of the belief that most people who are seeking muscle protein synthesis, recovery from exercise, and general health would do well to ingest approximately, I'm not super neurotic about these things, approximately 1 gram of quality, protein per pound of lean body weight or desired body weight”
Andrew Huberman, on the record @ 10:08
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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