Category: Nutrition

When we asked SeniorTriathletes readers about their nutrition concerns, protein after 50 was one of the topics they most wanted us to explore. The questions weren’t surprising: How much do we really need? Does timing matter? And are protein powders, amino acids and other supplements worth considering?

Protein has become one of the most talked-about nutrients in healthy aging. Older adults are told to eat more of it. Athletes are told to consume it immediately after exercise. Supplements promise to overcome the body’s declining ability to use protein as we age.

There is good science behind some of this advice. But there is also more certainty in many protein recommendations than the research—especially research involving older endurance athletes—can support.

That’s an important distinction for triathletes over 50.

We aren’t sedentary older adults. We regularly ask our muscles to swim, bike, run and, ideally, perform resistance training. At the same time, we aren’t simply younger athletes with a few more birthdays behind us. Aging affects muscle mass, strength, recovery and the way muscle responds to both exercise and nutrition.

So how much protein do we really need? Does it have to be spread evenly throughout the day? Is there a post-workout “window”? What if you practice intermittent fasting? And do whey, leucine, HMB or creatine add anything?

The research provides useful answers—but not always the ones suggested by the headlines.

Start With What We Don’t Know

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein for adults is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. That number is intended to meet the basic needs of most healthy adults. It was not developed as an optimal intake for someone training for triathlon in their 60s, 70s, or beyond.

Researchers commonly recommend higher intakes for healthy older adults and for athletes. But when we ask the more specific question—How much protein does an endurance athlete after 50 actually need?—the evidence becomes surprisingly thin. It becomes thinner still when we look for research involving athletes in their late 60s, 70s and beyond.

A 2025 review found only 12 studies connecting protein intake with body composition or performance in master athletes. Seven involved endurance athletes. Even more revealing, participants classified as “master athletes” ranged from 26 to 75 years old. Protein intakes ranged from about 1.0 to 1.9 g/kg/day. The researchers concluded that the available studies were too few and too heterogeneous to establish protein recommendations specifically for aging athletes.

That doesn’t mean we know nothing. It means we should distinguish between what has been demonstrated in older endurance athletes and what has been reasonably extrapolated from research involving younger athletes or less-active older adults.

WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS: How Much Protein?

Modern studies of endurance athletes suggest protein needs can be considerably higher than the 0.8 g/kg adult RDA. In one metabolic study, endurance-trained men completing a 20-kilometer run had an estimated average requirement of about 1.65 g/kg/day, with an upper recommended intake of about 1.83 g/kg/day. A later study involving both male and female endurance athletes estimated approximately 1.60–1.61 g/kg/day.

The catch: These were endurance athletes, but not specifically athletes in their 60s and 70s.

What this means for you: An intake well above the RDA is reasonable for a regularly training endurance athlete, but science has not established that 1.6—or 1.8—g/kg/day is the optimal amount for a healthy 70-year-old triathlete.

A Practical Protein Target

Given the evidence we do have, approximately 1.2–1.6 g/kg/day is a reasonable working range for many older endurance athletes, with the upper end becoming more relevant during heavier training, resistance training, calorie restriction or periods when maintaining muscle is particularly important.

That is a range, not a threshold.

For a 175-pound athlete—about 79 kilograms—it translates to approximately:

• 1.2 g/kg = 95 grams/day
• 1.4 g/kg = 111 grams/day
• 1.6 g/kg = 126 grams/day

Some athletes may appropriately consume more. But the evidence does not support the idea that continually increasing protein automatically produces additional muscle, strength or performance benefits.

And protein should not displace the carbohydrate and total energy needed to support endurance training.

Does Aging Make Us “Protein Resistant”?

You’ve probably encountered some version of this claim:

After 50 or 60, your body can no longer use protein efficiently.

That greatly oversimplifies a real phenomenon called anabolic resistance.

Anabolic resistance means that older muscle can have a smaller muscle-protein-synthesis response to a given amount of dietary protein or exercise than younger muscle. It does not mean older adults cannot digest protein or build muscle.

More importantly, age isn’t the only factor.

Physical inactivity, metabolic health, body composition and training status also affect how muscle responds.

That distinction matters enormously when applying studies of sedentary older adults to master athletes.

WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS: Age—or Inactivity?

In one experiment, older men reduced their daily activity to fewer than 1,500 steps for two weeks. One leg performed low-load resistance training three times per week while the other did not. Lean mass declined in the inactive leg but increased in the trained leg, and the trained muscle had a substantially greater protein-synthesis response to feeding.

In another study, lifelong endurance athletes averaging about 69 years old had resting and resistance-exercise-induced muscle protein synthesis similar to healthy untrained older men. Their controlled protein intake was about 1.3 g/kg/day. Importantly, the study did not establish that 1.3 g/kg was optimal; it demonstrated that muscle at this age remained responsive to exercise.

What this means for you: Aging matters, but so does what you ask your muscles to do. Staying active—and particularly including resistance training—may be at least as important as trying to solve anabolic resistance by simply eating more protein.

This may be one of the most important lessons from the protein research:

Give aging muscle a reason to use the protein.

Swimming, cycling and running provide valuable training stimuli, but they are not substitutes for resistance training when the objective is preserving strength and muscle.

How Much Protein at a Meal?

Another commonly repeated recommendation is that older adults need approximately 0.4 g/kg of protein per meal.

This number has a reasonable scientific basis.

Research examining the acute muscle-protein-synthesis response to different protein doses estimated that younger adults reached a maximal MPS response around 0.24 g/kg per meal, while older adults required closer to 0.4 g/kg. That does not mean protein consumed beyond this amount is wasted or provides no additional whole-body benefit.

For our 175-pound athlete, 0.4 g/kg is approximately 32 grams of protein.

That makes 25–40 grams of high-quality protein at a meal a useful practical reference for many older athletes.

But “useful reference” is different from “required dose.”

Most of these studies measure the acute response of muscle protein synthesis over a few hours. They do not demonstrate that eating precisely 0.4 g/kg at every meal produces more muscle, greater strength or better triathlon performance years later.

Does Protein Need to Be Evenly Distributed?

This is where an interesting physiological idea became a fairly rigid nutrition rule.

Because muscle protein synthesis responds to protein at each meal, researchers proposed that spreading protein evenly through the day might provide repeated opportunities to stimulate muscle growth and repair.

An influential study found approximately 25% greater 24-hour muscle protein synthesis when protein was distributed relatively evenly across breakfast, lunch and dinner rather than heavily concentrated at dinner.

There was just one problem when applying this to SeniorTriathletes readers:

The participants averaged about 37 years old.

Research in older adults has been less convincing.

WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS: Total Protein vs. Perfect Distribution

In a randomized trial of older adults, researchers compared higher and lower total protein intakes and even versus uneven distribution across meals. Higher total protein improved whole-body protein balance and muscle protein synthesis. In that study, even distribution did not produce an additional advantage.

Another eight-week randomized trial similarly found that protein-distribution pattern did not affect anabolic response, lean body mass, strength or physical function in older adults.

A large 2025 analysis of 814 community-dwelling adults averaging 69 found that breakfast was typically the lowest-protein meal and dinner the highest. Those consuming more total protein more often reached meaningful protein amounts at individual meals, but distribution patterns themselves were similar across intake groups.

What this means for you: Avoid routinely protein-poor meals—especially breakfast if yours contains very little protein—but don’t become preoccupied with making breakfast, lunch and dinner mathematically equal.

The evidence isn’t entirely one-sided. Another study found that evenly distributing protein across meals improved whole-body protein balance, primarily by reducing protein breakdown, even though muscle protein synthesis did not increase. This is another reason to distinguish short-term physiological effects from evidence that a particular eating pattern produces more muscle or greater strength over time.

If you consume 110 grams of protein daily as 10 grams at breakfast, 25 at lunch and 75 at dinner, shifting some protein toward breakfast makes physiological sense.

If you’re already consuming 30, 35 and 45 grams, there is little evidence that changing those numbers to 37, 37 and 36 will produce a meaningful advantage.

Total daily protein appears more important than perfect distribution.

What If You Practice Intermittent Fasting?

Time-restricted eating complicates the usual advice to eat protein three or four times per day.

A common 16:8 pattern restricts food intake to an eight-hour period, sometimes with only two substantial meals.

Can an older athlete still get enough protein?

Yes—but those meals have to do more work.

If our 175-pound athlete targets 1.4 g/kg/day, that is about 111 grams of protein. Divided between two meals, that’s roughly 55 grams per meal.

Protein above the amount needed to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis at one moment isn’t simply “wasted.” Protein serves many functions throughout the body, and digestion and absorption continue for hours.

In a recent 24-hour study of adults averaging 61, consuming 1.5 g/kg/day across only two meals produced better whole-body protein balance than either 0.8 or 1.1 g/kg/day, even though each meal contained considerably more than the often-cited 0.4 g/kg protein target.

The larger concern may be whether restricting the eating window makes it difficult to consume enough total protein and enough total energy to support training and recovery.

There is also insufficient evidence to justify intermittent fasting for a healthy older endurance athlete primarily on claims of improved “hormone health.” Time-restricted eating may be useful for some people for controlling energy intake, body weight or metabolic health, but that is a different objective.

For an older endurance athlete whose priorities are preserving muscle, recovering from training and maintaining performance, the relevant question is simpler:

Can you consistently consume enough protein and enough total energy within your chosen eating window?

Do You Need Protein Immediately After Exercise?

For decades, athletes were warned about a narrow post-exercise “anabolic window.”

Finish your workout. Get protein into your body within 30—or perhaps 60—minutes. Miss the window and you’ve missed an opportunity.

The underlying physiology was legitimate. Exercise makes muscle responsive to amino acids, and consuming protein around exercise supports repair and remodeling.

The stopwatch was the questionable part.

A 2025 meta-analysis restricted its analysis to studies that directly compared protein consumed before versus after exercise for at least four weeks. It found no meaningful difference in lean-mass adaptation based on whether protein came before or after training.

Exercise appears to create a broad period of increased sensitivity, not a tiny window that suddenly closes.

WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS: More Isn’t Automatically Better

Researchers tested this question directly in eight master triathletes averaging 52 years old after a muscle-damaging downhill run. During eight hours of recovery, the athletes consumed either 0.3 or 0.6 g/kg of protein on three occasions.

Doubling the protein dose did not significantly improve overall recovery or subsequent cycling performance, although the higher dose produced some potentially meaningful improvements in perceived fatigue and loss of muscle force.

What this means for you: Protein after a demanding workout is sensible. Twice as much is not necessarily twice as useful.

There are circumstances when post-workout nutrition deserves greater urgency.

If you trained after an overnight fast, getting protein afterward makes more sense than deliberately extending the fast several more hours.

If you have another demanding workout later that day, rapid recovery becomes more important—and for an endurance athlete, carbohydrate replacement matters along with protein.

But if you ate a protein-containing meal a few hours before training and another normal meal is coming afterward, you probably don’t need to carry a protein shake to the pool deck so you can drink it before you’ve dried off.

Whole Food or Protein Powder?

A food-first approach still makes sense.

Eggs, dairy products, fish, poultry, lean meats, soy, beans, lentils and other protein-rich foods provide protein along with vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and other nutrients.

But “food first” shouldn’t become “supplements never.”

Whey protein is highly digestible, rich in essential amino acids and leucine, and convenient. If an athlete struggles to reach an appropriate protein intake through meals—or wants to increase protein without adding a large amount of food—a protein powder can solve a legitimate problem.

The important question isn’t “Is protein powder good or bad?“

It is “What problem is protein powder solving?“

If you’re already meeting your protein needs comfortably through food, adding another shake simply because whey rapidly stimulates muscle protein synthesis has not been shown to guarantee additional long-term benefit.

What About Plant Protein?

Animal proteins generally provide a high concentration of essential amino acids and are highly digestible. Some individual plant proteins contain less leucine or lower amounts of one or more essential amino acids.

That doesn’t mean an older athlete needs animal protein.

A varied plant-based diet can provide sufficient protein. Athletes relying heavily on plant sources simply have more reason to pay attention to total quantity, variety and protein quality, rather than assuming that equal gram amounts of every protein source produce identical physiological responses.

This is another place where adequate total intake can reduce the importance of micromanaging individual foods.

BCAAs, Leucine and Essential Amino Acids

You’ve probably seen supplements containing branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs, promoted for muscle growth and recovery. The three BCAAs—leucine, isoleucine and valine—are part of a larger group of nine essential amino acids (EAAs) that our bodies cannot make and must obtain from food.

Leucine is particularly important because it helps signal muscle protein synthesis. But signaling muscle to build protein isn’t enough. The other essential amino acids are also needed to provide the building materials.

That’s why taking BCAAs alone isn’t equivalent to consuming a complete protein.

Recommendations have changed as the research has evolved. In 2007, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommended BCAAs before and after exercise—and during prolonged endurance exercise—based on the evidence available at the time. By its 2017 protein position stand, the emphasis had shifted toward high-quality protein providing sufficient leucine along with all the essential amino acids. Research since then has further questioned whether supplementing with the three BCAAs alone provides meaningful benefits. A 2026 systematic review focused on endurance athletes found no consistent improvement in endurance performance, fatigue or recovery.

Recent systematic reviews suggest BCAA supplements may modestly reduce muscle soreness after exercise. But they have not consistently improved strength, endurance, body composition or recovery of muscle performance.

For an older endurance athlete already consuming enough high-quality protein, there is little evidence that adding a BCAA supplement provides an additional benefit. If protein intake is inadequate, consuming complete protein—or all the essential amino acids—makes more physiological sense than supplementing only the three BCAAs.

Leucine can help flip the switch for muscle protein synthesis, but your body still needs all the building materials.

HMB: Promising Theory, Less-Impressive Results

HMB—beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate—is a metabolite of leucine promoted for preserving muscle, particularly in older adults.

The idea is biologically plausible, and some earlier studies were promising, particularly in frail, inactive or nutritionally compromised people.

But more recent evidence makes routine supplementation difficult to justify for healthy athletes who can resistance train.

A 2026 meta-analysis included 13 randomized trials and 561 adults age 50 and older. Adding HMB to resistance training produced no significant additional improvement in muscle mass, muscle strength or fat mass. The authors concluded that HMB could not be recommended routinely for people capable of structured exercise.

That’s a useful example of science progressing from a plausible mechanism and promising early results to a more restrained conclusion as evidence accumulates.

Creatine Is Different

Creatine frequently appears in the same conversations as protein supplements, but it should be treated separately because creatine isn’t protein. It helps increase phosphocreatine availability in muscle, supporting rapid ATP regeneration during high-intensity muscular work.

More importantly, creatine has accumulated a substantial research base when combined with resistance training.

WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS: Creatine vs. HMB

A 2026 analysis of 11 randomized trials involving adults age 60 and older found that adding creatine to resistance training produced a small additional improvement in muscle strength. The certainty of evidence was moderate. Additional effects on muscle mass and physical function remained uncertain.

In contrast, the 2026 HMB meta-analysis found no significant additional improvement in muscle mass or strength when HMB was added to resistance training.

What this means for you: Among supplements marketed for aging muscle, creatine has a stronger case as an adjunct to resistance training. But the important word is adjunct. It does not replace resistance training or adequate protein.

Creatine can also raise blood creatinine, which is commonly used to estimate kidney function. Anyone taking creatine should tell their healthcare provider, particularly when kidney function is being evaluated. People with kidney disease or other relevant medical conditions should discuss supplementation with the clinician managing their condition.

The Protein Hierarchy After 50

After reviewing the research, I think the priorities for an older endurance athlete are much clearer than the individual numbers sometimes make them appear.

1. Give your muscles a training stimulus.
Continue your endurance training, but include resistance training. Protein cannot substitute for a stimulus telling muscle to maintain strength and mass.

2. Eat enough total energy.
Chronic under-fueling makes it harder to recover, train and preserve muscle regardless of protein intake.

3. Get enough protein over the entire day.
For many regularly training older endurance athletes, approximately 1.2–1.6 g/kg/day is a reasonable working range. Treat it as a range rather than a magic threshold.

4. Include meaningful protein in your meals.
Around 0.4 g/kg at a meal is a useful reference for older adults, but don’t turn it into a requirement that must be hit exactly at every meal.

5. Don’t obsess over perfect distribution.
Fix obviously protein-poor meals before worrying about whether every meal contains precisely the same number of grams.

6. Use post-workout protein sensibly.
If you’ve eaten protein within a few hours before training, eat your next normal protein-rich meal afterward. Give recovery nutrition greater priority after fasted, long or particularly demanding workouts or when another training session is coming soon.

7. Use supplements to solve identifiable problems.
Protein powder can make an appropriate daily intake easier. Leucine or essential amino acids may help when protein intake is limited. Current evidence gives HMB a weak case for routine use by healthy exercising older adults. Creatine has better evidence as an adjunct to resistance training.

Don’t Let Precision Exceed the Evidence

Perhaps the most surprising lesson from this research is how quickly certainty decreases as protein advice becomes more precise.

We have strong evidence that resistance training matters.

There is good evidence that regularly training older adults need more protein than the adult RDA is designed to provide.

We have good physiological evidence that older muscle benefits from meaningful amounts of high-quality protein.

But ask exactly how many grams a 72-year-old triathlete should eat every day, exactly how many grams must be consumed at breakfast, precisely how evenly protein must be distributed, or how many minutes after a workout it must be consumed—and the evidence becomes much less certain.

That’s not a failure of science. It’s a reason to use the science appropriately.

The research isn’t finished. Several of the researchers whose work is discussed here specifically call for more studies involving older trained athletes—including research comparing different protein intakes and examining athletes in their 60s, 70s and 80s.

For now, the evidence gives older endurance athletes good reason to be diligent about consuming enough protein to help maintain muscle and support recovery, but not enough evidence to insist that everyone needs the same precise amount or timing strategy.

The objective isn’t to optimize every gram of protein.

It is to create an eating and training pattern you can sustain that gives your body enough energy, enough protein and—most importantly—enough reason to maintain the muscle you’ll want for the years of training, racing and living still ahead.

We will continue to follow this research and update our recommendations as better evidence involving older endurance athletes becomes available.

Selected References

• Franzke B, Maierhofer R, Putz P. Protein Intake, Physical Performance and Body Composition in Master Athletes—A Short Scoping Review. Nutrients. 2025.
• Moore DR. Protein Requirements for Master Athletes: Just Older Versions of Their Younger Selves? Sports Medicine. 2021.
• Kato H, et al. Protein Requirements Are Elevated in Endurance Athletes after Exercise as Determined by the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Method. PLOS ONE. 2016.
• Doering TM, et al. The Effect of Higher Than Recommended Protein Feedings Post-Exercise on Recovery Following Downhill Running in Masters Triathletes. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.
• Casuso RA, et al. Does Protein Ingestion Timing Affect Exercise-Induced Adaptations? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2025.
• Wang G, et al. Efficacy of HMB Supplementation as an Adjunct to Resistance Training in Older Adults: A Comprehensive Meta-analysis. Age and Ageing. 2026.
• Yao L, et al. Effects of Resistance Training Combined with Creatine Supplementation on Muscle Strength, Physical Function, and Muscle Mass in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Three-Level Meta-analysis. 2026.

What Has Worked for You?

How do you approach protein as an older endurance athlete? Have you changed how much you eat, when you eat it, or whether you use protein powders or other supplements? What seems to have helped with maintaining muscle, training, or recovery? Share your experience in the comments below.

Electrolytes play a critical role in keeping senior endurance athletes hydrated. These elements and simple chemical compounds make sure the water we consume is available to support key bodily functions.

Hydration Is Vital To Triathlon Training and Racing

The Senior Triathletes post, What Masters Athletes Need To Know About Nutrition, includes the following statement:

Water is necessary for regulating body temperature, transporting nutrients throughout our bodies, lubricating joints, and other bodily processes. However, as we age, thirst becomes less reliable as an indicator of hydration level. With the less sensitive thirst response, we are more likely to become dehydrated and, therefore, need to pay more attention to staying hydrated.

Many of the senior triathletes whose experiences are described in Our Stories have provided firsthand evidence of the importance of hydration. Pat Hawks, for example, has seen the terrible consequences of becoming dehydrated in other triathletes. For this reason, she has become a stickler about staying hydrated, especially during hard exercise and races. To make sure she has adequate electrolytes, she often drinks coconut water because of its potassium content.

When Steve Stewart forgot to follow his hydration plan during IRONMAN Wisconsin 2021, he became dehydrated and eventually dropped out of the race. Laurent Labbe had a similar experience.

More recently, I learned that dehydration can be a trigger for the heart condition atrial fibrillation (Afib) and can lead to increased blood pressure.

Why Is Dehydration During Strenuous Exercise A Problem?

Each of our trillions of cells requires fluid to maintain their shape and to perform their function. Related to physical exercise accompanying triathlon and other multi-sport endurance training and racing, these functions include:

• Cellular respiration involving breakdown of glucose to produce energy as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This process produces carbon dioxide (CO₂) as a waste product. Dehydration can, therefore, lead to reduced energy.
• Protein metabolism in which amino acids are broken down, making them available for various bodily functions. This process produces nitrogen-containing waste, such as ammonia. The cells also convert ammonia into less toxic compounds which are eliminated by the kidneys after being removed from the cell.
• Lipid metabolism breaks down fats (lipids) to produce energy. This process can generate waste products, such as ketones.
• DNA and RNA turnover and repair. These processes have a unique set of waste products, some of which are recycled or converted to other molecules.
• Cells are also responsible for neutralizing and eliminating toxins or certain foreign substances. There may be waste products within the cell from efforts to deal with the toxins.

As you can see, we have a lot going on within our bodies and it’s happening 24/7. But these processes can only occur properly if we have fed and hydrated our bodies correctly.

Did You Know You Can Become Dehydrated Even While Drinking Water?

Yes, you may become dehydrated at a cellular level even if you are drinking water. Cellular dehydration occurs when there is an imbalance between the water entering and leaving the cells. This leads to a decrease in the overall water content within the cells.

Even for a seemingly healthy person, an imbalance or loss of electrolytes will contribute to cellular dehydration, despite adequate water intake.

How Do Electrolytes Contribute to Cellular Hydration?

According to information in What Is Hydration on a Cellular Level and Why Is It Important?, electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, and bicarbonate play a vital role in maintaining the balance of fluids within and around cells.

“Taking in enough fluid is the first step to achieving cellular hydration. Your cell membranes are highly permeable to water (meaning they permit water to pass through them), and water follows osmotic gradients. Osmotic gradients are generated when the concentration of solutes, such as sodium, is higher on one side of the membrane than the other.

“In the context of your cells, this means if you don’t have enough water circulating through your body, water will be drawn from the inside of the cells due to increased osmotic pressure — causing those cells to shrink. When your body contains enough water, this lowers the concentration of solutes in your body fluids, which allows more water to move inside of the cells and restore their shape.”

Electrolytes, a subset of the broader category of solutes, are essential to hydration. These minerals carry an electric charge and help maintain various physiological functions in the body. If there is an imbalance in electrolytes, especially sodium, cellular dehydration occurs. For the endurance athlete, proper electrolyte balance is necessary for optimal muscle contractions, nerve function, and overall cellular function.

Why Senior Triathletes Need More Sodium Than Standard Guidelines Suggest

Sweating is the body’s natural mechanism for cooling during exercise. Sweating not only releases water but also essential electrolytes, including sodium, magnesium, potassium, and iodine. Drinking only water can dilute blood sodium levels.

A problem can arise from the fact that most public health salt recommendations are intended for sedentary adults—not active adults over 50 who train for triathlons. Therefore, restricting sodium can actually backfire senior triathletes. Losing significant quantities of electrolytes raises the risk of dehydration, muscle cramps, fatigue, dizziness, and exercise-associated hyponatremia.

Drinking only water can lead to us become functionally dehydrated during longer training sessions or races. Even mild dehydration leads to fatigue, reduced endurance, and impaired concentration as energy production wanes and waste products build up inside cells. The latter is believed to be one cause of muscle cramps.

Research cited in The Salt Fix shows athletes may lose 1,400–2,800 mg of sodium per hour depending on temperature and intensity. That means a single workout can exceed the daily recommended sodium intake.

For older athletes—who often sweat less efficiently and may have reduced thirst signals—getting the right balance of sodium and fluids becomes even more important.

Benefits of Adequate Sodium for Senior Triathletes

• Better hydration and heat tolerance
• Fewer muscle cramps and less fatigue
• Improved power, stamina, and recovery
• Lower risk of hyponatremia during endurance events

How To Stay Hydrated At A Cellular Level

Staying hydrated at a cellular level requires more than simply drinking water. It involves consistently supplying the body with both fluids and electrolytes so water can enter cells, support metabolism, and remove waste products.

Effective cellular hydration improves endurance, supports recovery, and reduces the risk of fatigue, cramps, and heat-related problems—especially for older athletes.

The following strategies help ensure hydration where it matters most: inside your cells.

Choose Electrolyte-Rich Foods

According to Put Down the Sugary Sports Drink—These 9 Foods Naturally Replenish Electrolytes, here are nine foods and drinks easy to find at the store AND natural sources of electrolytes.

• Bananas
• Greek yogurt
• Spinach
• Watermelon
• Oats
• Avocado
• Lemon juice
• Coconut water
• Sea salt (see below for more about this)

Most fruits and vegetables are 80–95% water and also supply potassium, magnesium, and other minerals that support fluid balance. Including these foods regularly helps maintain baseline hydration outside of training sessions.

Drink Water Throughout The Day

Water is necessary for regulating body temperature, transporting nutrients throughout our bodies, lubricating joints, and other bodily processes. However, as we age, thirst becomes less reliable as an indicator of hydration level. With the less sensitive thirst response, we are more likely to become dehydrated and, therefore, need to pay more attention to staying hydrated.

To help you set a daily goal, consider this calculator for daily water intake. Remember that coffee and tea, in moderation, are legitimate sources of water. So, are many foods.

According to What Masters Athletes Need To Know About Nutrition:

“It is helpful to remember that water can come in many forms. These include the obvious ones, including coffee, tea, milk, and soup. Water can also be consumed in fruits and vegetables. Registered nutritionist and chef Ian Harris points out that ‘vegetables such as celery, cucumber, iceberg lettuce, tomato and zucchini contain over ninety percent water’. In addition, ‘melons such as cantaloupe and watermelon have some of the highest water content, at more than 90 percent.’ Many other commonly available fruits contain over 80 percent water.”

Since it takes time for our body to absorb and distribute water we ingest, sipping water throughout the day is more effective than downing a day’s volume in one or two sittings.

Other liquids such as bouillon and pickle juice, are sources of electrolytes with water.

Add Salt To Your Water

During prolonged or intense exercise—especially in warm conditions—sweat loss can quickly deplete sodium. Replacing fluid without replacing sodium can impair hydration and increase the risk of fatigue or hyponatremia.

For endurance athletes who sweat heavily, adding salt to water is a simple and inexpensive way to support electrolyte balance. The author of The Salt Fix recommends Redmonds Real Salt, an ancient sea salt mined in the USA. This salt contains a broad profile of minerals in addition to sodium. These include calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iodine.

General sodium guidelines often used by endurance athletes include:

• ~½ teaspoon salt (~1,150 mg sodium) about 30 minutes before exercise
• ½–1 teaspoon salt per hour during long or hot training sessions

Individual needs vary widely based on sweat rate, sweat sodium concentration, temperature, and exercise duration. These strategies should be tested in training—not introduced for the first time on race day. Always consider personal medical history and consult a physician before making significant dietary changes.

Bottom line: For senior triathletes, sodium isn’t the enemy—it’s a performance and safety essential.

Use Electrolyte Beverages When Appropriate

Electrolyte powders, tablets, and sports drinks can be useful tools during long workouts or races. These products are designed to replace sodium and other electrolytes lost through sweat while also providing fluid.

Some products emphasize higher sodium content with minimal sugar, while others combine electrolytes with carbohydrates. The best choice depends on workout duration, intensity, fueling strategy, and gastrointestinal tolerance.

One commercial product my wife and I began using recently is supplied by LMNT. Each packet of powdered additive and can of sparkling water includes 1000 mg of sodium, 200 mg of potassium, and 60 mg of magnesium.

While they have an unflavored powder, LMNT products are available in several naturally flavored fruit, chocolate, and chocolate caramel flavors.

Regardless of the product, the goal remains the same: support fluid absorption and maintain electrolyte balance so hydration reaches the cellular level.

Pay Attention To Your Body

The main symptoms of dehydration are excessive thirst, dark urine, dizziness, and fatigue. Be sure to seek medical attention if these symptons persist.

Conclusions

Staying hydrated in the correct way, with water and electrolytes, gives our bodies the right fuel and ensures important systems continue working smoothly.

Whether we’re playing sports, running around, or just going about our day, water will help us feel good and stay healthy. However, we must also maintain the proper balance of electrolytes to be sure the water is getting into our cells, is being maintained at the proper level, and waste products generated within our cells are being removed.

Please Leave Your Questions and Comments Below

Disclaimer: Please note that SeniorTriathletes.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.  This is an affiliate advertising program that provides a way for sites to earn advertising fees.  They do this by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.  As an affiliate, I will receive a small commission for any purchases of this product that you make through Amazon if you use the links in this post.

This post was originally published on December 12, 2023. This revision includes information from The Salt Fix about the need for additional sodium and the dangers of too little sodium, especially for older, endurance athletes.

During a Stryd “For the Love of Running” webinar, registered dietitian Sakiko Minagawa presented nutrition guidelines for endurance athletes. She identified the day-in, day-out nutrition needed for athletes, including masters triathletes, to perform at their highest levels.

What was almost comical, however, was the number of questions focused on race day nutrition.

I thought about this scene after the webinar. Most of us recognize the importance of daily nutrition. However, in truth, we spend more time investigating the latest dieting fad or fueling strategy while grabbing whatever is convenient for a meal.

“Eating well and being active” is a ‘one-two-punch’ for healthy living of older adults, according to the website Eat Right. In fact, what we eat before, during, and after training can be part of our competitive strategy as an athlete.

Nutrition is a key component to health and sports performance.

Sakiko Minagawa, MS, RDN, LD

For the masters endurance athlete, paying attention to nutrition is even more important than for the younger person. Changes to our bodies that occur with age make what we eat increasingly important.

How Our Bodies Changes With Age

As we age, we must change what we eat and drink, how we rest, and how we spend our leisure time and train for endurance sports like triathlon.

“People who did the equivalent of 30-40 minutes of jogging per day, five days a week showed biological markers of a person seven years younger.”

From a report cited in “Six Principles of Triathlon Training for Seniors“

How are we to change the way we eat, sleep, and play? By considering the most important changes to our bodies that occur with age.

Loss in lean body mass and bone mass

At around age 50, our skeletal muscles lose cells and become smaller and stiffer according to Dr. Vonda Wright in Masters Athletes: A Model for Healthy Aging. Without intervention, the reduced muscle mass and increased stiffness results in lower strength, reduced power, and more frequent muscle strains and joint pain.

Decrease in total calorie needs

Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the energy (measured in calories) necessary for normal body functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature.

Lean body mass (muscle) has a higher RMR than fat. Therefore, any loss of lean body mass, including that related to age, will reduce the calories required to maintain a given weight.

Decrease in nutrient absorption

For a significant portion of the senior population, age means reduced production of stomach acid. This may seem like a good thing given the barrage of advertising for medications to treat heartburn and acid reflux. However, less stomach acid can affect absorption of nutrients from food sources.

Decreasing absorption of nutrients, such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron and magnesium, affects bone health, blood pressure, and other metabolic processes.

How Age-Related Changes Affect Nutrition Needs of Masters Endurance Athletes

The changes with age explain why proper nutrition is one of six keys to triathlon training for seniors and even more critical to get right than for younger athletes.

The physiological changes mean that we need fewer (net of exercise) calories, higher amounts of protein, and greater amounts of key nutrients.

Sakiko Minagawa challenges us to do this by eating smarter and more efficiently. We must minimize so-called empty calories while consuming more nutrient-dense foods in the proper proportion.

Following are guidelines for older adults from government and private sources.

Nutrition for the General Population of Older Adults

In the United States, the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Agriculture update dietary guidelines every five years based on the current nutrition science.

The greater number of people living longer has led to specific guidelines for older adults. MyPlate for Older Adults published by Tufts University is based on the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans but targeted to those age 65 and over. Check out their short, informative video with these recommendations and the following guidelines from nutrition professionals.

Greater amounts of protein

It is important to pay attention to protein intake, avoiding skimping. Muscles of older adults require greater amounts of amino acids to achieve the same muscle-building effect that occurs in younger athletes.

The current recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram (1.3 ounces per 100 pounds) of body weight per day for adults over 18, or about 65 grams (2.3 ounces) of protein for a 180-pound adult. Research suggests that adults over age 65 require greater amounts.

More anti-inflammatory foods

Fish oil (through fish, like salmon and sardines, and supplements) and certain plant (e.g. flaxseed) and nut-based oils (e.g. olive, avocado, and walnut) are recognized for their anti-inflammatory properties. According to sports nutritionist Dr. Nancy Clark, “healthy plant and fish oils provide a health-protective anti-inflammatory effect. Given that diseases of aging such as heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis are triggered by inflammation, consuming canola, olive, avocado, walnut, and fish oils that reduce inflammation are a wise choice.”

Vitamins and minerals

The reduced ability with age to absorb nutrients from food means that we need to eat foods higher in certain nutrients. Prioritize fruits and vegetables high in vitamin D (e.g. salmon, eggs, orange juice) and calcium (e.g. green leafy vegetables, broccoli), though balance is also important.

Hydration

Water is necessary for regulating body temperature, transporting nutrients throughout our bodies, lubricating joints, and other bodily processes. However, as we age, thirst becomes less reliable as an indicator of hydration level. With the less sensitive thirst response, we are more likely to become dehydrated and, therefore, need to pay more attention to staying hydrated.

It is helpful to remember that water can come in many forms. These include the obvious ones, including coffee, tea, milk, and soup. Water can also be consumed in fruits and vegetables. Registered nutritionist and chef Ian Harris points out that “vegetables such as celery, cucumber, iceberg lettuce, tomato and zucchini contain over ninety percent water”. In addition, “melons such as cantaloupe and watermelon have some of the highest water content, at more than 90 percent.” Many other commonly available fruits contain over 80 percent water.

Watch your salt intake

According to registered dietitian Sally Kuzemchak, those over age 50 are more likely to be “salt sensitive”. We need to pay even greater attention to salt intake. However, you don’t have to forego taste. Herbs and spices make effective salt alternatives.

Supplements

Consuming a balanced diet with nutrient-rich foods such as whole grain, fruits, vegetables, protein, and dairy should be our first choice for nutrient needs, according to Sakiko Minagawa. However, given the importance of avoiding bone mass loss, active seniors may benefit from supplements such as protein powder, vitamin D, calcium, and/or a multivitamin to meet the nutrient needs not provided by food. Prior to taking supplements, review any plans with a dietitian and/or physician to avoid any potential negative consequences from overdosing or interactions between supplements and medications.

Choose Organic for These Fruits and Vegetables

The fruits and vegetables in the table below quickly absorb herbicides and pesticides. Therefore, it is best to choose organically farmed forms of these whenever possible.

Strawberries	Spinach	Kale, collard & mustard greens
Nectarines	Apples	Grapes
Bell & hot peppers	Cherries	Peaches
Pears	Celery	Tomatoes

Source: Dr. Livingood.com

More Nutrition Guidance for Masters Endurance Athletes

Active seniors, including triathletes, need even greater amounts of amino acids to achieve the same muscle-building effect that occurs in younger athletes. Dr. Nancy Clark recommends that the masters athlete consume 1.4 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (0.6 to 0.7 gram per pound of body weight per day) spread throughout the day. This effectively means doubling the amount of protein recommended for the general population.

For a masters athlete who weighs 150 pounds (68 kg), this means 95 to 110 grams of protein per day. Distribute your protein intake throughout the day. Consuming 25 grams four times per day is a good goal.

In addition, the masters athlete should consume an additional 40 grams of protein after hard exercise for muscle repair and recovery as soon as possible after finishing the session. Think whey protein smoothie since whey protein is high in the amino acid leucine, which triggers muscle growth.

Some research also suggests potential benefits of protein consumption before sleep for overnight muscle protein synthesis. Sakiko Minagawa recommends foods such as Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and milk which are great sources of protein as a pre-bedtime snack. These help with recovery and adapting to exercise training.

Stay hydrated

The active senior triathlete, especially one who sweats a lot during endurance training, needs to pay special attention to staying hydrated. Follow the guidelines for drinking healthy water-based beverages and eating fruits and vegetables high in water content. Pay attention to the color of your urine and consume enough water in whatever form so it is consistently light-colored.

While we need to avoid excessive salt intake, the endurance athlete needs to make sure he/she does not become electrolyte deficient during training, especially in high temperatures.

Meal Guidelines for Active Seniors

MyPlate for Older Adults provides the following guidelines:

• 50% of the plate should contain several servings of various colored fruits and vegetables. These can be fresh, frozen, or canned but look for low sodium and low added sugar varieties.
• 25% of the plate (at least three ounces) should contain whole-grain pasta, breads, cereals, or rice. These are important sources of nutrients and fiber.
• A serving of low-fat or fat-free dairy (milk, yogurt or cheese) fortified with vitamin D to provide protein and much needed nutrients.
• Vary protein choices with more fish, beans and peas (see the chart below), and milk. Many of these protein sources also contain significant amounts of important nutrients such as vitamin D and calcium.
• Consume plenty of fluid from sources such as water, coffee, tea, soups, and high water content fruits and vegetables.
• Oils used for salads or food preparation should be liquid oils.

Endurance athletes in training should adjust these guidelines to accommodate their special needs for higher protein intake, more water consumption, and additional vitamin D and calcium. “Kill two birds with one stone” by eating more fish such as swordfish, salmon, tuna; milk; yogurt; eggs; and cheese since these are good sources of both protein and vitamin D.

A Healthy and Surprisingly Good Tasting Recipe High in Protein and Fiber

Besides hummus, I had not found recipes with chickpeas that both my wife and I enjoyed. That changed with the following recipe from Bon Appétit.

If you make this recipe, share your thoughts in the Comment below.

Involving an Expert

Older athletes should avoid extreme or fad diets. However, you may be impatient to lose weight or increase athletic performance. Eating whole, unprocessed foods following the balanced, healthy eating patterns described in the USDA guidelines is best.

Consult a dietician for additional nutrition recommendations for your specific health and sports performance goals.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Sakiko Minagawa, MS, RDN, LD for contributing to this post.

Share Your Questions and Comments

As an endurance athlete, what is the most important lesson about nutrition you have learned?

This post. originally published on April 7, 2020, was updated on September 19, 2023.