Protein: The New Cocaine

Apr 5

Protein is the New Cocaine

Walk through Costco or scroll through Amazon, and you'll see it loud and clear: Protein has gone mainstream. What was once the domain of hardcore gym bros and bodybuilders—chalky powders, meal replacement shakes, bars with names like “Power Maxx”—has now found its way into the hands of everyday shoppers. Endcaps at big-box stores overflow with ready-to-drink protein shakes, high-protein yogurts, and fortified snacks. Search “protein” on Amazon, and you'll be flooded with thousands of options—from grass-fed whey to plant-based blends to collagen-infused coffee creamers.

But behind the surge in protein marketing is a deeper, evidence-based shift in how we understand health, aging, and metabolism. Leading voices in medicine, nutrition, and performance science—Peter Attia, Gabrielle Lyon, Layne Norton, Stacy Sims, Mary Claire Haver, and Andrew Huberman, among others—are reframing protein not as a niche supplement, but as a foundational nutrient.

So, what’s driving this protein renaissance? Researchers across the board are supporting the fact that the old RDA of 0.8g/kg just isn’t cutting it. For decades, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein - .8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day – has been treated as a gold standard. But here’s the catch: that number was never intended to represent optimal intake. It was designed to prevent deficiency, not to promote strength, metabolic health, or resilience against aging. Today, a growing body of research—and a chorus of respected experts—argue that this recommendation is not just outdated, but potentially harmful when used as a benchmark for health.

💪 Why Protein Matters — Especially for Women

Protein isn’t just for bodybuilders — it’s essential for everyone, especially as we age. Your body needs protein to build and repair muscle, support your immune system, and maintain metabolic health. Protein gives your muscles the raw materials they need to grow and stay strong, and then we all need to lift heavy shit! (Much more to come on that.)

But here’s the thing most people don’t realize — starting around age 30, we naturally begin to lose muscle mass. This slow decline is called sarcopenia, and it accelerates with age, especially in women.

🚨 What’s the Risk?

Without enough protein — and resistance training — your body starts breaking down more muscle than it builds. Over time, this leads to:

Weaker muscles
Slower metabolism
Higher body fat percentage
Increased risk of falls, fractures, and frailty

For women, the impact can be even more pronounced due to hormonal shifts with aging (like the drop in estrogen during menopause), which further accelerates muscle loss and bone density decline. Sarcopenia has a major impact on the older population — and it's more common (and serious) than most people realize.

📊 By the Numbers:

Up to 50% of adults over age 80 are affected by sarcopenia.
5–13% of people in their 60s already show signs of muscle loss.
Rates increase significantly with age, especially without strength training or adequate protein.
Women tend to experience faster muscle decline after menopause due to lower estrogen and often lower protein intake.

⚠️ Why It Matters:

Sarcopenia isn't just about losing strength or muscle tone — it’s tied to:

Falls & fractures (muscle protects bones and helps with balance)
Loss of independence (like difficulty climbing stairs, getting out of a chair, or carrying groceries)
Slowed metabolism & weight gain (muscle burns more calories than fat)
Insulin resistance and increased risk of type 2 diabetes
Frailty syndrome — a key predictor of hospitalization and mortality

Dr. Peter Attia calls the RDA "woefully insufficient" for preserving lean mass, especially as we age. He cites studies showing that as we get older, our bodies become less responsive to dietary protein—a phenomenon known as anabolic resistance. To overcome this, we need more protein, not less—closer to 1.6–2.2g/kg/day, especially for active individuals or those looking to maintain muscle in midlife and beyond.

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon has been particularly vocal about how the RDA fails women and aging adults. “We don't have a calorie problem,” she says. “We have a muscle problem.” Lyon promotes "muscle-centric medicine" and recommends protein-forward diets that support muscle preservation, insulin sensitivity, and overall metabolic function. Her clinical experience shows that higher protein diets are especially crucial during perimenopause and menopause, when muscle loss can accelerate.

When trying to figure out how much protein we need to eat, I like to simplify the metric system into something more familiar (because I’m American, and that’s just how my brain works.) Instead of thinking in grams per kilogram, let’s convert it. While the ideal range is often cited as 1.6–2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, many experts suggest an easier rule of thumb:

👉 Take your ideal body weight in pounds and aim for that number in grams of protein per day.
So, if your goal weight is 150 pounds, shoot for around 150 grams of protein daily.

You might ask: Is the "1 gram per pound of ideal body weight" rule the same for women, men, and older adults?

The short answer is: yes, as a general rule of thumb—but with nuance.

✅ Why it works broadly:

Using 1 gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight is a simplified way to land within the optimal range of 1.6–2.2g/kg/day that many experts (Attia, Norton, Lyon, etc.) recommend for preserving muscle, improving metabolic health, and aging well.

👩‍🦰 For Women:

Women often need just as much protein—if not more—per pound of lean body mass, especially during perimenopause and menopause, when muscle loss accelerates. So yes, the guideline holds, but women should not feel like they need “less” protein just because they’re smaller or less muscular. In fact, they may benefit even more from hitting that number consistently.

👴 For Older Adults:

Aging brings anabolic resistance, which means the body doesn't respond to protein as efficiently. Because of this, older adults may need even more protein relative to body weight to maintain or build muscle.
💡 So 1g per pound of ideal body weight is often the minimum effective dose for seniors.

🧔 For Men:

Men often consume more protein by default, but sedentary men or those dieting might still fall short. The rule still applies well, especially when muscle preservation or fat loss is a goal.

Bottom Line:

That “1 gram per pound” rule is a simple and effective target across groups, with tweaks based on age, goals, and body composition. It’s not perfect, but it’s a huge step up from the outdated 0.8g/kg RDA.

Here’s what 50 grams of protein might look like for dinner!