How to Find the Best Protein Powder for Women Over 50

📌 Overview and Key Takeaways

This is a Dietitian’s guide on how to find the best protein powder for women over 50.

Discover how to safely supplement your protein intake.

Last Updated
Feb 1, 2026

Author and Medical Reviewer

Written by Kayla Kamen, MS, RD

Kayla Kamen is a Registered Dietitian with a MS in Nutrition.

Medically reviewed by Jennifer Fossett, PA-C

Jennifer Fossett is a Physician Assistant with a BA in Nutritional Sciences.

Protein Powder for Women Over 50

Is Protein Powder Good for Women over 50?

Many women over the age of 50 worry that they are not meeting their daily protein needs and consider adding protein supplements to their diets.

If you are one of these women, keep reading to find out whether or not protein shakes or powders are right for you.

Is it recommended that women over 50 consume 1.0-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (Lancet, 2023).

This is higher than the standard Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for most adults, which is 0.8 g/kg/day (Food Funct, 2016).

It is also just the minimum amount needed to meet your basic nutritional needs, not the actual amount you should eat every day.

The actual amount of protein you need depends on a variety of factors including your age, weight, and activity level.

Keep in mind that women over 50 have elevated protein needs due to age-related changes in protein metabolism.

As women get older, their bodies do not use protein as efficiently, and they need more protein with each meal to trigger muscle building compared to younger people.

This is why research shows higher protein intake in women over 50 supports muscle mass preservation and bone health (Nutrients, 2025).

Research also shows that for those who need the extra protein, protein supplements can help women over 50 maintain muscle and prevent fat gain (J Nutr Health Aging, 2025).

That said, most women should be able to meet 100% of their daily protein needs by eating foods like eggs, fish, and meat.

Women with dietary or lifestyle restrictions might have trouble doing so, however, which is where protein supplements can help.

Adding a protein powder to your diet is an easy way to ensure that you are eating enough protein.

It can be mixed with just water to make a protein shake, or added to smoothies, oatmeal, and other recipes.

That said, not all protein powders are created equal.

What Is the Best Protein Powder for Women Over 50?

Many protein powders contain ingredients known to cause painful side effects and even long-term health problems.

Among the top offenders are food additives and protein concentrates and isolates.

🚫 Avoid Food Additives

Regularly eating emulsifiers, thickeners, artificial sweeteners, and other ultra-processed additives can alter the composition and function of your gut microbiome (North Clin Istanb, 2019).

These shifts, known gut dysbiosis, contribute to a wide range of chronic diseases, including diabetes and even certain cancers (J Exp Med, 2019).

Gut dysbiosis is so problematic because it causes a cascade of problems, including intestinal permeability, systemic inflammation, impaired nutrient absorption, and reduced short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production.

⚠️ Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein supplements:

• acacia fiber
• acacia gum
• acesulfame potassium
• artificial flavors
• ascorbic acid
• aspartame
• calcium carbonate
• carrageenan
• cellulose gum
• dextrin
• dicalcium phosphate
• dipotassium phosphate
• erythritol
• gellan gum
• guar gum
• gum arabic
• inulin
• locust bean gum
• maltitol
• maltodextrin
• mono- and diglycerides
• ‘natural’ flavors
• rice bran extract
• rice dextrin
• rice hulls
• rosemary extract
• silica
• silicon dioxide
• sodium alginate
• soluble corn fiber
• sorbitol
• soy lecithin
• sucralose
• sunflower lecithin
• tocopherols
• tricalcium phosphate
• xanthan gum
• xylitol
• zinc oxide

As a rule of thumb, if you could not find an ingredient in nature or make it at home, it is a food additive.

🚫 Avoid Protein Concentrates and Isolates

You should also consider avoiding protein concentrates and isolates.

Most protein powders are made from one or both of these protein sources, which have been mechanically and/or chemically stripped of everything but the protein.

This includes the enzymes, fiber, and other natural digestive aids that help you break them down.

You therefore do not digest them in the same way that you do whole foods, which can affect your gut health.

In fact, studies show that regularly eating protein concentrates and isolates can disrupt your gut microbiome and cause the formation of toxic byproducts in your gut (Nutrients, 2018; Mol Nutr Food Res, 2024).

So instead of ultra-processed protein concentrates or isolates, look for whole food protein sources like egg whites and almonds.

They are easier to digest and absorb.

Order Samples to see for yourself.

Sources

1. Lancet (London, England) (Lancet). Malnutrition in older adults. 2023.
2. Food & Function (Food Funct). Dietary protein intake and human health. 2016.
3. Nutrients (Nutrients). Protein and Aging: Practicalities and Practice. 2025.
4. The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging (J Nutr Health Aging). Effectiveness of Protein-enriched oral nutritional supplements on muscle function in middle-aged and elderly women: A randomized controlled trial. 2025.
5. Northern Clinics of Istanbul (North Clin Istanb). Food additives and microbiota. 2019.
6. The Journal of Experimental Medicine (J Exp Med). The gut microbiome: Relationships with disease and opportunities for therapy. 2019.
7. Nutrients (Nutrients). Effect of a Protein Supplement on the Gut Microbiota of Endurance Athletes: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study. 2018.
8. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (Mol Nutr Food Res). In Vitro Fermentation of Animal and Plant Protein Isolates by the Human Gut Microbiota Under High and Low Carbohydrate Conditions. 2024.

Editorial Guidelines

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This article was written by a Registered Dietitian and reviewed by a Physician Assistant. We rely on peer-reviewed research and trusted medical sources, and regularly update our content to ensure accuracy and clarity.