Protein for every age: redefining protein performance from growth to recovery

Protein is everywhere from yogurt to lentils to ready-to-drink shakes. But while high-protein has become a trend, many people still aren’t sure what protein does in the body or how to choose what fits their needs. The key point is simple: protein needs change with age, activity level, and health status. Performance, in this broader sense, can mean growing well, staying active, ageing with strength and independence, or recovering when life puts the body under stress. “The best protein strategy is the one people can follow, because they enjoy it and it fits their needs”, says Johan de Vogel, Danone Senior Scientist.

Protein targets aren’t one-size-fits-all. A common reference point for healthy adults is 0.8 g/kg/day, but needs can be higher during growth, hard training, ageing, or recovery and should be personalized, with healthcare guidance when needed. Instead of chasing one perfect number, focus on a steady pattern: getting enough across meals, using sources that fit your preferences and usual way of eating.

Impact depends on what the body can use and what people will actually eat. Some foods release amino acids faster than others, and taste, texture, and portion size can make or break how consistently you can follow a diet. This matters for everyone, but especially when appetite is low or chewing/swallowing is difficult. 

Think of performance as a life-long ability: to grow, adapt, stay independent, and recover—supported by the right protein strategy at the right time.

Protein is often marketed as a fast track to athletic results. In reality, it supports much more: building and repairing tissue, transport and signalling, immune function, and metabolism. Because the body is constantly breaking down and rebuilding protein, a regular supply from food matters from early growth to adult vitality, healthy ageing, and recovery in clinical care.

A child’s priority is healthy growth and development. For adults, it is often everyday strength and adapting to exercise. Later in life, the focus shifts to maintaining muscle, mobility, and independence. For patients, protein may help preserve lean mass, support treatment tolerance, and aid rehabilitation after illness or surgery. Protein is not a single story; it is a toolkit whose value depends on the goal.

For many adults, performance means having the energy to work, care for family, stay active, and recover from day-to-day stresses. Protein helps by supporting lean tissue, repairing small wear and tear, and keeping you fuller for longer, useful if you’re managing weight. A common challenge isn’t knowing protein matters; it’s getting enough of it consistently.

Training provides the stimulus; protein provides the building blocks for repair and rebuilding. Reviews in sports nutrition keep coming back to the basics: total daily intake and spreading protein across the day, with a serving around workouts as a practical habit. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) suggests that, for most active people, 1.4-2.0 g/kg/day is sufficient, and that sharing high-quality protein across meals (for example, every 3-4 hours) can help¹. In real life, that means fewer extremes and more routines you can repeat.

In many ways, growth reflects the body's earliest form of performance, signaling that the processes of development are on track. During early life, the body is not just getting bigger; organs and systems, including the brain, are maturing and becoming more fully functional. Protein is central to that, which is why guidance for infants and children (per kilogram of body weight) is higher than for adults. In the first months, recommendations are often based on the amount of protein naturally provided by human milk, and later account for both everyday needs, growth, and development. 

“For example, beyond growth”, explains Kelly Mulder, Danone Senior Scientist and Adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia, “our brain cells use special chemical messengers to communicate to each other. They make these messengers from basic building blocks—including the amino acids in proteins. This is true for everyone, and especially for children’s developing brains”

Not all protein sources behave the same way in foods, and those differences can matter in sensitive groups. Protein quality usually means two things: whether it contains the essential amino acids the body needs, and how well it can be digested and absorbed. 

With age, the body may respond less strongly to the same amount of protein - sometimes called “anabolic resistance”. This helps explain why expert groups such as the PROT-AGE Study Group suggest higher average intakes for older adults (around 1.0-1.2 g/kg/day), with higher targets (1.2-1.5 g/kg/day) often considered during illness². Protein isn’t the whole story, though: staying active, especially doing resistance exercise, is a key partner for maintaining strength, balance, and function.

For many older adults, the challenge is eating enough when appetite changes, chewing or swallowing becomes harder, or illness disrupts routines. Spreading protein more evenly across the day may help. At Danone R&I, turning these insights into solutions means designing textures and formats that are easier and enjoyable to consume, while balancing amount, quality, and digestibility.

During illness, injury, or major weight loss, the body can shift into breakdown mode: inflammation rises, appetite often drops, and reduced movement makes it harder to rebuild muscle. Strength and independence can decline quickly, especially in older adults. In some cases, needs rise further, such as after severe burns when the body requires more protein to support healing. Clinical guidance reflects this. For example, the ESPEN practical guideline for nutrition in cancer recommends protein above 1 g/kg/day and, if possible, up to 1.5 g/kg/day always tailored to the person’s situation and guided by healthcare professionals³.

In recovery, the goal is not simply more protein. It is the right protein quality and function in a food people can consume. When appetite is low or symptoms make a normal diet difficult, nutrient-dense options in small, easy-to-eat or drink formats can help. For some patients, small and frequent oral servings work best; in other cases, tube feeding is needed. Protein source, digestibility, functional ingredients, and the wider food matrix can influence how amino acids become available to the body. “This is where evidence and food design meet: Danone R&I studies how proteins work in real life and develops product formulations that help people meet their needs safely, supporting treatment tolerance, recovery and, where possible, independent living,” explains Yvette Luiking, Danone Senior Team Lead Medical Nutrition Design.

Protein advice is moving from generic rules to more personal, practical guidance. It is not only about grams per day, but also type, timing, tolerance, and what is realistic in different lives. For Danone Research & Innovation, the role is to turn that complexity into simple choices: foods and medical nutrition that are evidence-based, enjoyable, and designed for specific life-stage and health goals. The next step is linking protein design to broader outcomes, such as gut and metabolic health and everyday function, so protein for every age becomes measurable impact.

1. Jäger R, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20. DOI: 10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8

2. Bauer J, et al. Evidence-Based Recommendations for Optimal Dietary Protein Intake in Older People (PROT-AGE Study Group). J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2013.

3. Muscaritoli M, et al. ESPEN practical guideline: Clinical Nutrition in cancer. Clin Nutr. 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2021.02.005

Johan de Vogel, Senior Scientist, specializing in protein nutrition, muscle, exercise with a focus on preserving and restoring muscle function.

Yvette Luiking, Senior Team Lead Medical Nutrition Design, has a background in research in sarcopenia and frailty, medical nutrition and muscle health.

Kelly Mulder, Senior Scientist and Adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia, is specialized in early life nutrition, growth and development.