Protein During Perimenopause and After Menopause: What Does the Evidence Say?

By Dr Nillie Teymouri and Tina Hirst

Protein remains important during perimenopause and after menopause, but there is no single intake figure that fits every woman. Official adult reference intakes, guidance for older people and individual needs are different things. Start with your usual meals, consider your age and activity, and use a powder only if it offers useful convenience.^{1, 2, 3}

If you have seen advice to eat more protein in midlife, the next question is practical: more than what you currently eat, and how much is right for you? A large number on social media cannot tell you that.

This guide separates the figures from the promises, then turns them into a routine you can actually use.

Why does protein enter the menopause conversation?

Body composition can change around the menopause transition. In a US study of 1,246 women, researchers used repeated body scans and found accelerated fat gain and declining lean mass around that transition. Lean mass is not a direct measure of muscle strength, and it includes more than skeletal muscle.⁴

This was an observational study, not a protein intervention. It helps explain the interest in midlife nutrition; it does not prove that an extra shake will reverse those changes. It also cannot tell an individual woman what will happen to her body.⁴

The useful response is to look at food and activity together. NHS menopause advice includes a balanced diet, calcium-rich foods and regular activity, including resistance exercise.⁶

How much protein do you need?

First, check which population a number describes. The UK adult recommendation is 0.75 g per kilogram of body weight per day, as explained by the British Nutrition Foundation. EFSA sets an adult population reference intake of 0.83 g/kg/day, including for older adults.^{1, 2}

These figures describe total daily protein from food and drinks. They are population references, not personalised prescriptions or a recommended dose of powder. Neither sets a separate menopause-specific target.^{1, 2}

Type of guidance	What the figure means
UK general adult reference	0.75 g/kg/day. A 60 kg example gives 45 g/day.¹
EFSA general adult reference	0.83 g/kg/day. A 60 kg example gives 49.8 g, approximately 50 g/day.²
ESPEN guidance for older people	At least 1 g/kg/day, individually adjusted. Its commentary cites 1.0–1.2 g/kg/day suggested by expert groups for healthy older people.³

ESPEN’s guideline concerns older people, usually defined as 65 or above. The 1.0–1.2 g/kg range would equal 60–72 g/day for a 60 kg person. That calculation illustrates the guidance; it is not a default target for every woman entering perimenopause.³

Age, nutritional status, physical activity, illness and tolerance affect how the guidance is used. Someone recovering from illness may need a different plan from a healthy person with a varied diet. For a fuller explanation, read how much protein women need per day.³

What do protein studies actually show?

A useful question is whether extra protein adds something beyond exercise and the diet a person already eats.

A 2024 randomised trial recruited 63 postmenopausal women; 55 completed the study. Their average age was about 58. They were not taking hormone replacement therapy and had not been regularly active more than once a week before the trial. Over 12 weeks, researchers compared resistance training, a higher-protein diet, both together and a control group.⁵

The training groups improved strength and estimated muscle mass. The higher-protein diet did not show a clear additional benefit over training alone for the measured outcomes. This does not establish that extra protein is never useful: the study was small, lasted three months and relied partly on self-reported dietary intake. Its participants also do not represent all women in perimenopause or women taking HRT.⁵

What this means for your routine: do not assume that adding a supplement will produce an extra result simply because a study involves protein. Check who was studied, what their comparison group did and what was actually measured.

Put a protein food into the meals you already eat

You do not need a completely new menu. The NHS Eatwell Guide includes beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein foods, alongside dairy or suitable alternatives and the other food groups. The balance matters across a day or week.⁸

Try one of these starting points:

Breakfast: plain yoghurt with oats and fruit, eggs on wholemeal toast, or tofu with toast and tomatoes.
Lunch: add beans, lentils, fish, chicken or tofu to the salad, soup or grain bowl you already enjoy.
Dinner: build around a protein food you like, with vegetables and potatoes, rice or another starchy food.

These are meal ideas, not measured recipes or a nutritionally complete daily plan. Portions, ingredients and appetite will change the total. For weighed ingredients and estimated nutrition, use our seven protein-rich breakfast ideas.

When shopping, compare the labels of the foods you actually buy. Similar-looking yoghurts, tofu products and plant-based drinks can contain different amounts of protein. A realistic estimate is more useful than assuming every bowl or glass provides the same amount.

Keep strength activity in the picture

For adults aged 19–64, NHS guidance recommends strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups on at least two days a week, alongside aerobic activity. Choose activity that matches your fitness and health; ask your GP first if you have not exercised for some time or have medical concerns.⁷

You do not need to recreate a laboratory training programme. The practical aim is to make appropriate movement a regular part of the week, rather than treating nutrition as the only thing that matters.

What should protein not be expected to do?

The evidence discussed here concerns dietary requirements, body composition and exercise. It does not establish that a protein powder relieves hot flushes, improves menopausal sleep problems or changes hormone levels. It is not evidence for BioBoost as a menopause treatment.^{2, 4, 5}

Protein is also only one part of eating well. Keep the wider diet in view, including fibre-containing foods and sources of calcium. NHS menopause guidance discusses bone health and vitamin D alongside food and activity.^{6, 8}

If symptoms are affecting your daily life, seek appropriate menopause care. A nutrition product should not delay that conversation.

Could a protein powder make your day simpler?

Look for a practical reason to use one: perhaps you want an easy addition to breakfast or a convenient option when preparing food takes more effort. If your usual meals already provide what you need, a powder is optional.

Before buying, check the protein amount for the exact serving and flavour, the source, allergens and all additional ingredients. Our guide to how to choose a protein powder for women walks through those decisions.

BioBoost Balance+ Protein™ is Amaris Mint®’s daily nutrition protein, designed to simplify daily protein and nutrition in an everyday routine alongside food. It can fit into a breakfast shake or smoothie prepared according to the current pack directions.⁹

The Vanilla formula brings together 30+ carefully selected ingredients, including whey protein and bovine collagen. It is clinician-formulated and made in Sweden. Our Quality & Standards page describes production in an FSSC 22000-certified facility; this is food-safety certification, not proof of clinical efficacy.^{9, 10}

Explore BioBoost Balance+ Protein™: Vanilla to review the ingredients, directions and suitability before choosing it for your routine.

Contains milk. Not suitable for people with a milk allergy. It contains bovine collagen and is unsuitable for vegetarians and vegans. Current product guidance advises against use during pregnancy, breastfeeding and under age 16. Check all ingredients and precautionary allergen statements. If you take medication, including HRT, ask your pharmacist or clinician to check the full formula before use.⁹

Food supplements should complement a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle and should not be used as a substitute for either.

Choose one useful change this week

Look at a normal day of eating. Choose the meal where a protein food is easiest to overlook. Plan one option you enjoy and keep the ingredients available. Pair that with an achievable plan for appropriate activity.

That is the practical idea behind The Swedish Daily Nutrition™ Routine: an everyday routine that is clear enough to repeat.

General educational information, not personalised dietary or medical advice. If you have kidney disease, a prescribed diet, persistent poor appetite or unintended weight loss, discuss your needs with your clinician or registered dietitian. The named authors are Amaris Mint® co-founders and have a commercial interest in the product discussed.