Why The Protein That Worked At 25 Stops Working At 45.

Here's something nobody tells you in your 40s: your body gets worse at using protein — and most men eat like it's still 1999.

There's a thing called anabolic resistance. As you age, your muscles become less responsive to the protein you eat. The research is blunt: older adults show roughly 16% lower muscle protein synthesis after a meal compared to younger people, and young muscle is up to 3x more responsive to dietary protein. Same steak, less result.

This is the quiet reason men start losing muscle from their 40s — not just less training, but less return on the protein they do eat. And muscle loss isn't a vanity problem. It's a metabolism, strength and longevity problem.

The fix isn't complicated. You beat anabolic resistance with dose and distribution. Aim for around 1.2g of protein per kg of bodyweight per meal — for a 90kg bloke that's roughly 108g — spread across 3-4 meals, not loaded into one giant dinner. Each meal needs enough to flip the muscle-building switch.

As a chef for 20 years, this is the easy part: a palm-sized serve of meat, fish or eggs at each meal. Greek yoghurt. A protein shake if you're short. You don't need to be precise. You need to be consistent and hit the floor every meal.

Takeaway: Don't just ask "did I get enough protein today?" Ask "did I get enough at this meal?" Three to four solid hits a day beats one big one.

What does protein look like at your breakfast right now — is it actually there, or is breakfast still toast and coffee?

— Danny | DPC Coaching

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Why The Protein That Worked At 25 Stops Working At 45.