Protein recommendations from the world's nutrition experts

In February 2025, The Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS) hosted a scientific workshop bringing together leading protein researchers to reassess one of nutrition science’s most important questions: are current protein recommendations truly enough to support optimal health throughout life?

The workshop — Human Dietary Protein Needs and Benefits: A Critical Assessment of Postulated Propositions — explored emerging evidence around protein quality, ageing, muscle health, appetite regulation, metabolic health and plant-based eating patterns.

What stood out most from the discussions was that the conversation around protein is becoming far more nuanced than simply calculating grams per day. Researchers repeatedly returned to several key themes: current recommendations may represent minimums rather than optimal intakes, protein quality matters, protein needs likely change across the lifespan, meal distribution may influence muscle health, and amino acid adequacy deserves greater attention in plant-based diets. As a dietitian, I believe these discussions reflect a significant shift in modern nutrition science.

One of the central debates during the 2025 workshop was whether current Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for protein are sufficient to support healthy ageing, muscle preservation and metabolic resilience, rather than simply preventing overt deficiency. Historically, protein recommendations were designed to identify the minimum amount needed to avoid deficiency in most healthy adults. However, researchers at the workshop discussed growing evidence suggesting that higher intakes may be beneficial for older adults, physically active individuals, people recovering from illness and those experiencing age-related muscle loss. This becomes particularly important after the age of 40–50, when sarcopenia — the gradual loss of muscle mass and strength — naturally accelerates (lift heavy weights to prevent this from happening).

Another major focus of the workshop was protein quality. Not all protein sources contain the same balance of essential amino acids (the beads of the necklace that is protein so to speak), and not all are digested or absorbed equally efficiently. Protein quality is influenced by amino acid composition, digestibility, bioavailability and the ability to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. While animal proteins generally provide all essential amino acids in highly bioavailable forms, many plant proteins can also support excellent health when diets are well planned and varied. Researchers highlighted that future dietary guidance may need to place greater emphasis on amino acid adequacy and protein quality, rather than focusing solely on total protein intake.

The timing and distribution of protein intake was another interesting area of discussion. Many people consume very little protein at breakfast, moderate amounts at lunch and the majority of their intake during the evening meal. Emerging evidence suggests that spreading protein intake more evenly across the day may better support muscle protein synthesis and healthy ageing, particularly in older adults. In practical terms, this may mean including a meaningful protein source at each meal rather than relying on one high-protein dinner. This could include soy yoghurt, eggs or chia pudding at breakfast, lentils, fish, chicken, meat or tofu at lunch and dinner.

The workshop also reinforced that vegetarian and vegan diets can absolutely provide adequate protein and support long-term health. However, plant-based diets do require more attention to protein diversity and amino acid balance. Some plant foods naturally contain lower amounts of certain essential amino acids. In grains such as wheat, rice, oats and maize, lysine is typically the first limiting amino acid, meaning it is present in the lowest proportion relative to human requirements.

Lysine plays an important role in muscle repair, collagen production, immune function, hormone production and calcium metabolism. While severe lysine deficiency is uncommon, intake may become marginal in diets heavily reliant on refined grains or ultra-processed vegan foods with limited legumes or soy products. Fortunately, this is usually relatively easy to address through dietary variety. Rich plant-based sources of lysine include tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, peas, quinoa, pumpkin seeds and pistachios. Combining grains with legumes — such as rice and beans, oats with soy milk or hummus on wholegrain toast — naturally improves amino acid balance. Isn't it clever how many of these are traditional combinations that we take for granted?

Importantly, modern nutrition science no longer supports the outdated belief that proteins must be perfectly “combined” within the same meal. The body maintains a circulating amino acid pool throughout the day, meaning complementary proteins can be consumed across meals rather than simultaneously. For most people eating a varied vegetarian or vegan diet, meeting essential amino acid requirements is entirely achievable. Diversity wins again!

Healthy ageing was another recurring theme throughout the workshop. Researchers discussed how adequate protein intake may support the maintenance of lean muscle mass, physical function, recovery after illness, appetite regulation and metabolic health later in life. This represents a noticeable shift away from viewing protein simply as a nutrient associated with athletes or bodybuilding culture. Increasingly, protein is being recognised as an important component of healthy ageing and long-term functional health.

Overall, the 2025 IAFNS workshop highlighted an important evolution in nutrition science. The future of protein recommendations is unlikely to focus solely on minimum daily intake targets. Instead, the conversation is moving toward protein quality, amino acid adequacy, meal distribution, healthy ageing and personalised nutrition. For vegetarians and vegans, the message is reassuring: a well-planned plant-based diet can absolutely meet protein needs and support excellent long-term health. However, variety matters, particularly when it comes to essential amino acids such as lysine. The emerging science suggests we may need to think less about chasing “high-protein” trends and more about how protein can best support health, resilience and function across the lifespan.