Older adults may not be getting enough protein.(Brief Article)

The Recommended Dietary Allowance for protein may be too low for adults 55 and older, according to research conducted at the Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts. Unfortunately, up to 25 percent of older Americans are not even consuming the RDA, leaving them particularly vulnerable to loss of muscle, compromised immune function, and decreased strength.

Tufts researchers asked 2 groups of older men and women to follow diets with different levels of protein. One group consumed the RDA. That's 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight, or 54 grams for a 150-pound person. The other group consumed substantially more than the RDA. After a week and a …