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Ingredient guide

Pea protein for women: how much, and what studies in women found

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

Women need the same protein per kg as men: at least 0.8 g per kg a day, and 1.4 to 2.0 g with regular training. Far fewer trials have been done in women, but in women over 55, whey protein with resistance training added arm strength and leg lean mass, while protein without training did not.1,2,3

Key facts

  • American women eat about 69 g of protein a day on average.1
  • The 2018 pooled analysis included 14 groups of women and found no clear difference between the sexes.4
  • Adults over 65 are advised at least 1.0 to 1.2 g of protein per kg a day.5
  • FDA's reference level for lead from food is 8.8 micrograms a day for women of childbearing age.6

How much protein women need

Recommendations are set per kilogram of body weight, not by sex. For a woman weighing 60 kg (132 lb), 0.8 g per kg is 48 g a day; with regular training, 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg is 84 to 120 g.1,2

The average American woman's 69 g a day covers the RDA for a woman of up to about 86 kg, but falls short of the training range for any woman heavier than about 49 kg.1,2

What trials in women found

Far fewer protein trials have been done in women than in men. A pooled analysis that included 14 groups of women found no clear difference between the sexes, while the ISSN notes that women-only trials have not shown statistically significant gains in maximal strength.2,4

In women aged 55 and over, whey protein combined with resistance training raised arm strength and leg lean mass more than placebo; without training it made no difference.3

A 2020 pooled analysis of 65 trials included 1,380 women among 2,907 adults and found lean mass gains with protein supplements in both younger and older adults.7

Women over 50

With age, muscle needs a larger serving for the same response. One analysis put the point where more protein stopped adding to a single meal's response at about 0.24 g per kg in younger adults and 0.40 g per kg in older adults, which is 24 g for a 60 kg woman.4

For women over 65, the PROT-AGE group advises at least 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg a day, or 60 to 72 g for a 60 kg woman, and 1.2 g or more with exercise.5

Pea and plant protein in women

Most plant protein trials were in men. The largest pea trial enrolled only men, while the whey and pea pilot included 7 women among 15 people and found similar results for both proteins.8,9

Pregnancy and nursing

Protein matters for growth during pregnancy, but ask your doctor or midwife before adding a protein supplement while pregnant or nursing.10

FDA's interim reference levels for lead from all food are 2.2 micrograms a day for children and 8.8 micrograms a day for women of childbearing age.6

FDA set that level partly to protect a baby before a pregnancy is known, and during nursing. Plant protein powders averaged more lead than dairy ones in testing, so if you use one daily, ask the maker for its lead results per serving.6,11

Mothers nursing a baby with G6PD deficiency should not eat fava beans, and that includes fava bean protein.12

What's in ours

What’s in ours

Our Plant Protein is fava bean and fermented yeast protein, not pea. Collagen Peptides also appear here, but collagen is not a complete protein.13

Questions people ask

Is pea protein good for women over 50?

Pea protein counts toward the higher protein target advised after 65, and in training trials it did about as well as whey, though those trials were mostly in men. In women over 55, extra protein made a difference only alongside resistance training.3,5,8

Do women need less protein than men?

Per kilogram, no: the RDA of 0.8 g per kg and the training range of 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg apply to both. Women who weigh less need fewer grams in total.1,2

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Sources

  1. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated April 1, 2024. Opened 2026-10-07.
  2. Jäger R, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20. Opened 2026-10-01.
  3. Kuo YY, Chang HY, Huang YC, Liu CW. Effect of Whey Protein Supplementation in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2022;14(19):4210. Opened 2026-10-07.
  4. Morton RW, et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376-384. Opened 2026-10-01.
  5. Bauer J, Biolo G, Cederholm T, et al. Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2013;14(8):542-559. Opened 2026-10-07.
  6. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Lead in Food and Foodwares. Content current as of January 6, 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.
  7. Wirth J, Hillesheim E, Brennan L. The Role of Protein Intake and its Timing on Body Composition and Muscle Function in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Nutr. 2020;150(6):1443-1460. Opened 2026-10-07.
  8. Babault N, Païzis C, Deley G, et al. Pea proteins oral supplementation promotes muscle thickness gains during resistance training: a double-blind, randomized, Placebo-controlled clinical trial vs. Whey protein. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12(1):3. Opened 2026-10-07.
  9. Banaszek A, Townsend JR, Bender D, et al. The Effects of Whey vs. Pea Protein on Physical Adaptations Following 8-Weeks of High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT): A Pilot Study. Sports (Basel). 2019;7(1):12. Opened 2026-10-07.
  10. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Protein in diet. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Reviewed April 1, 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.
  11. Chen M, Dong R, Lai W. Heavy metal and microplastic exposure from sports protein supplements: Integrated health risk modeling and scenario analysis. Environ Res. 2026;295:123988. Opened 2026-10-07.
  12. Fava Beans. In: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; updated June 15, 2024. Opened 2026-10-01.
  13. Paul C, Leser S, Oesser S. Significant Amounts of Functional Collagen Peptides Can Be Incorporated in the Diet While Maintaining Indispensable Amino Acid Balance. Nutrients. 2019;11(5):1079. Opened 2026-10-07.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.