Most nutritionists recommend that people over 60 increase the amount of protein in their diet, as the older have less ability to metabolize protein, so the same amount of protein means less is actually absorbed by the digestion of the body. As a consequence, to get adequate amounts those who are over 60 have to increase the amount of protein in their diet to actually utilize the same amount that their bodies metabolized when they were younger.
The only question is how much should be the increase? On the high end is the recommendation that those over 60 should have 1 gram of protein for each pound of weight. So someone over 60 at 150 pounds would need 150 grams of protein in their diet. This seems a bit excessive to me, but there is no way of knowing what the right amount for the increase should be.
But the risk, if you are not getting enough protein when older than 60, is that poor absorption would reduce this amount still further, and therefore possibly lead to serious muscle loss — muscle loss being a cardinal issue for people over 60.
Henry's Views 