Masters athletes — those who continue competitive or serious recreational sport beyond age 40 — face a set of physiological changes that require specific nutritional adjustments. The changes are real but manageable: reduced muscle protein synthesis rate, declining bone density, increased recovery time, and changing hormonal profiles all respond meaningfully to evidence-based nutritional strategies. This guide covers what changes and how to adapt.
Protein: More, Not Less
The primary nutritional change for masters athletes is increased protein requirement. Muscle protein synthesis (MPS) — the rate at which exercise-induced protein synthesis builds muscle — declines with age due to "anabolic resistance." The same amount of protein that would stimulate MPS effectively in a 25-year-old is insufficient to produce an equivalent response in a 55-year-old. The practical implication: older athletes need more protein, both in total daily intake and per meal.
Current evidence suggests masters athletes require 1.6–2.2g of protein per kg body weight daily, compared to 1.4–1.7g for younger athletes. Per-meal protein requirements also increase — 40g of protein per meal may be needed to maximally stimulate MPS in older athletes, compared to 20–25g in younger athletes. The British Dietetic Association has updated its protein recommendations to reflect the growing evidence for higher intakes in older adults.
Bone Health and Calcium
Bone density declines from the late 30s onwards in both sexes, accelerating significantly for women around menopause. For masters athletes, bone health is a performance concern as well as a long-term health concern — stress fractures are more common in older athletes with lower bone density, and the consequences of fracture are more severe. Calcium (1000–1200mg daily), vitamin D (supplement year-round in the UK), and weight-bearing exercise are the evidence-based bone protection strategies. Calcium from food is preferred over supplements where possible. Read our calcium sources guide.
Recovery Nutrition
Recovery time after training increases with age — the inflammatory response to exercise is more prolonged, and tissue repair takes longer. Recovery nutrition becomes more important, not less, as athletes age. The post-exercise window for protein consumption extends beyond the 30-minute "anabolic window" focus of younger athlete programmes — consuming adequate protein within two hours of training reliably supports recovery in masters athletes. Anti-inflammatory foods (oily fish, berries, leafy greens, turmeric) support the recovery process by moderating the excessive inflammatory response.
Creatine for Masters Athletes
Creatine supplementation has particularly strong evidence for older athletes, where its muscle preservation and performance enhancement effects are magnified by the age-related declines in muscle mass and phosphocreatine stores. Several trials specifically in masters athletes show creatine supplementation preserving or increasing muscle mass and improving functional performance. For masters athletes not currently using creatine, it is among the most evidence-supported interventions available. Read our creatine guide.
Fuel Your Training With Vanda's Kitchen
Quality daily nutrition is the foundation of consistent athletic performance. Vanda's Kitchen's fresh Filipino-inspired lunches — certified halal, 100% nut-free, built around lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and fresh vegetables — provide the nutritional base for active London professionals balancing demanding careers with regular training. Sport England and the British Heart Foundation both emphasise that regular physical activity combined with a balanced diet is the most effective health investment available. View our team lunch options or WhatsApp us for City of London office delivery.
Quality daily nutrition is the foundation of consistent athletic performance. Vanda's Kitchen's fresh Filipino-inspired lunches — certified halal, 100% nut-free — provide lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and fresh vegetables for active London professionals. Sport England and the British Heart Foundation both emphasise regular activity combined with balanced diet as the most effective health investment. View our team lunch options or WhatsApp us.
Frequently asked questions
At what age do protein requirements meaningfully increase for athletes?
Anabolic resistance — the reduced sensitivity of muscle to protein stimulation — becomes clinically relevant from around age 40 and increases progressively thereafter. The shift is gradual rather than a sharp threshold, but athletes over 50 typically need noticeably more protein per meal and per day than they did in their thirties to achieve the same adaptive response to training.
Does creatine supplementation work as well for older athletes as for younger ones?
The evidence suggests creatine works better for older athletes in some respects. Because muscle creatine stores decline with age, supplementation restores them from a lower baseline, producing larger relative gains. Several trials specifically in masters athletes show creatine preserving or increasing muscle mass alongside resistance training, with effects on functional performance that exceed those seen in younger populations.
How does sleep quality affect recovery differently in masters athletes compared to younger athletes?
Older athletes typically experience reduced slow-wave sleep, which is the stage where growth hormone secretion is concentrated. This reduces the hormonal stimulus for overnight tissue repair and adaptation. Recovery nutrition — particularly protein adequacy in the evening meal — becomes more important as a partial compensatory strategy when sleep architecture naturally deteriorates with age.
What vitamin D dose is recommended for masters athletes in the UK?
The NHS recommends 10 micrograms daily as a general population supplement for UK adults from October to March, but many sports medicine practitioners recommend year-round supplementation at 25 micrograms for active adults, particularly those over 50 where conversion efficiency in the skin declines. Blood testing to establish baseline levels is the most accurate guide to individual dose requirements.
Is there evidence that anti-inflammatory diets specifically help older athletes recover faster?
The evidence is reasonably consistent that dietary patterns emphasising oily fish, colourful vegetables, olive oil, and berries reduce systemic inflammatory markers, which are elevated at baseline in older individuals. For masters athletes, where the inflammatory response to training is already more prolonged, an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern appears to support faster return to training readiness, though large controlled trials are limited.