For most people, diet is enough after 40. ICMR-NIN's protein allowance for healthy adults stays the same as you get older, and a balanced Indian diet can meet it. Many people start searching for the best protein powder for senior citizens around this age. The changes that help most, though, are steady protein at every meal and regular strength exercise.
What Changes in the Body After 40?
Muscle slowly declines with age. Harvard Health Publishing notes that after 30, people begin to lose as much as 3 to 5% of their muscle mass each decade. Harvard adds that less muscle means more weakness and less mobility, which shows up in everyday tasks such as climbing stairs.
ICMR-NIN describes the same pattern. As we age, calorie needs fall and lean mass decreases, and an inactive lifestyle speeds up the loss of muscle. The guidelines also give the answer. Staying active helps preserve muscle, and regular strength training with weights is needed to maintain muscle mass.
The Daily Protein Requirement for Adults Stays the Same at 40
ICMR-NIN gives one daily figure for healthy adults: 0.83 g of protein per kg of body weight. That figure holds across adult life, so your daily protein requirement follows your weight as the years pass. A person who weighs 72 kg needs about 60 g a day at 45, the same amount as at 30.
Protein Requirements in Older Adults
Protein for old age follows the same food-first idea. For people over 60, the guidelines suggest a balanced day that supplies about 56 g of protein for a 55 kg woman. For a 65 kg man, the suggested day comes to about 62 g. Both are built from cereals, pulses, milk, vegetables, fruit and nuts.
ICMR-NIN's advice on protein for senior citizens also stresses quality. It asks older adults to include pulses, milk, fish, minced meat or eggs, since these improve the quality of their protein. The same advice works well before 60, for anyone who wants their meals to supply more of their daily protein requirement.
When Is Diet Enough on Its Own?
Food covers the need for most people when two things are in place. The first is a protein food at each main meal. That could be dal, rajma or chana, curd or milk, paneer, or eggs and fish if those are part of your diet. ICMR-NIN's 2,000 kcal plate supplies about 72 g of protein this way, without any supplement.
Include Protein-Rich Foods in Every Meal
In practice, a 45-year-old's day might start with besan chilla and a bowl of curd. Lunch could be dal, rice, sabzi and buttermilk, and dinner rotis with paneer or fish curry. A handful of roasted chana in the evening fills the long gap before dinner. None of this needs special shopping, and every meal brings some protein to the table.
Combine a Balanced Diet with Regular Exercise
The second is using your muscles. The guidelines recommend exercises that work all the main muscle groups at least twice a week, plus 30 to 60 minutes of moderate activity on five days. They suggest two to three weight-bearing sessions a week to delay age-related muscle loss. Men and women over 40 should check with a doctor before starting a vigorous programme.
Where Horlicks Protein Fits After 40
A supplement is useful when meals do not reach your daily protein target. That can happen with a small appetite, irregular meal times, frequent travel, or a vegetarian diet that is light on dal and milk.
Horlicks Protein Powder for Adults
On those days, one Horlicks Protein sachet, shaken with 200 ml of cold water or milk, gives 24 g of protein. The 240 ml milkshake gives 20 g, with 171 kcal and no added sugar.
Horlicks Protein is made for adults, and the brand recommends a single serving a day unless a dietitian advises otherwise. For a 72 kg person aiming for about 60 g, one sachet covers less than half the day's requirement, so meals still supply most of it. The Unflavoured variant can also go into a morning smoothie made with milk and a banana.
Conclusion: Meeting Your Protein Needs After 40
Turning 40 leaves ICMR-NIN's protein allowance unchanged at 0.83 g per kg a day. A balanced diet with protein at every meal meets it for most people. Muscle is what changes, and it declines faster without use, so strength exercise at least twice a week matters as much as food. On days when meals fall short, a single Horlicks Protein serving can fill the gap.
Sources
1. ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024.
Read the ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines
2. Harvard Health Publishing. Preserve Your Muscle Mass.
Read the Harvard Health article