Worried that going plant-based after 60 means losing strength? You’re not alone. It’s a question I hear a lot.
A new study gives us a clear answer. And it’s not “don’t go vegan.” It’s “go vegan with a plan.”
The 2026 Study on Vegan Diets and Muscle in Older Adults
Researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands studied 72 healthy adults aged 65 and older (average age 72) for 12 weeks. It was published in September 2026 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
They split people into three groups:
- Kept eating their usual diet
- Switched to a vegan diet on their own, with no meal plan
- Switched to a vegan diet and did strength training twice a week
Study Results: Muscle Loss, Protein, and the Power of Strength Training
The group that went vegan on their own lost muscle. About 1.15 kg (2.5 pounds) of lean muscle in their arms and legs in just 12 weeks.
Why? Their protein dropped by about 20 to 28 grams a day. They took out the meat and dairy but didn’t add enough beans, lentils, or tofu back in.
Now here’s the good news. The group that added strength training lost about half as much muscle. Their bodies also built new muscle protein at about the same rate as the usual-diet group. Their leg strength even trended up, while the no-exercise vegan group’s trended down.
As the researchers put it, the muscle loss “can be mitigated by resistance exercise.”
Can Vegans Build Muscle as Well as Meat Eaters?
Here’s where it gets encouraging. When protein intake is the same, the answer is yes.
A 2023 study from the University of Exeter, published in The Journal of Nutrition, put 22 young adults through 10 weeks of strength training. Half ate a vegan diet, getting much of their protein from mycoprotein, a fiber-rich protein made from fungi. The other half ate meat, dairy, and eggs. Both groups ate the same amount of protein.
The results?
- The vegan group gained about 7 pounds of lean mass. The meat eaters gained about 6.
- Thigh muscle grew 8.3% in both groups.
- Strength gains were about the same.
A 2021 study in Sports Medicine found the same thing in 38 men who had been vegan or meat eaters for at least a year. With protein matched and the same training program, muscle size grew equally in both groups. (In that study, both groups added protein powder to hit their targets: soy for the vegans, whey for the meat eaters.)
These two studies were done in younger adults, so they don’t prove the exact same result after 65. But put them next to the Wageningen study and the message is clear. Your muscles don’t care whether your protein comes from a lentil or a steak. They care whether you eat enough of it, and whether you use them.
Is a Plant-Based Diet Safe for Older Adults?
Yes, with planning. I want to be clear about what this study does and doesn’t say.
It doesn’t say plants can’t give you enough protein. They can. It says that when people cut out animal foods without replacing that protein, their muscles pay the price. That matters even more after 65, when our bodies use protein less efficiently.
Not extreme. Not complicated. Just intentional.
4 Ways to Build Muscle on a Plant-Based Diet After 65
- Put a protein at every meal. Lentils, beans, tofu, tempeh, and edamame all give you roughly 15 to 30 grams of protein per cup.
- Aim for 20 to 35 grams of protein per meal. Spread it out over the day instead of saving it all for dinner.
- Start your day strong. Add soy milk, hemp seeds, or a tofu scramble to breakfast.
- Lift something 2 to 3 times a week. Resistance bands, light weights, or chair squats all count.
Always check with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.
What This Means for Strong, Healthy Aging
Plant-based eating can support you for decades. Just plan your protein and keep your muscles working. Progress, not perfection.
Not sure where to start? Grab my free guide, Top 15 Sources of Plant-Based Protein. It also comes with a complimentary spot in my 2026 Plant-Based Beginner’s Bootcamp, November 3–6, where I’ll show you how to build simple, protein-rich meals that work in your real life. Get your free guide and complimentary bootcamp spot here.
Sources:
Hevia-Larraín V, et al. “High-Protein Plant-Based Diet Versus a Protein-Matched Omnivorous Diet to Support Resistance Training Adaptations.” Sports Medicine, 2021
Domić J, et al. “A self-selected vegan diet reduces skeletal muscle mass in healthy older adults: a randomized controlled trial.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, September 2026
Monteyne AJ, et al. “Meatless Muscle Growth: Building Muscle Size and Strength on a Mycoprotein-Rich Vegan Diet.” The Journal of Nutrition, 2023
