It’s common to feel more tired as you age, but maintaining a diet rich in protein, complex carbs, and essential nutrients can help boost your energy.

If you don’t get enough energy and the proper nutrients from your meals, you can feel more tired, especially if you’re also experiencing changes related to age, such as an increase in body fat, inflammation, and a decrease in muscle and metabolism.

Each person’s body is different, so you might not be experiencing such changes. Still, eating foods that support greater energy can be beneficial if you feel tired, and even if you don’t.

Read on for tips on foods that may help reduce fatigue and increase energy in older age. Keep in mind that everyone’s nutritional needs are unique, so it’s always a good idea to talk with your doctor or a dietitian for personalized advice.

You’ll notice the language used to share stats and other data points is pretty binary, fluctuating between the use of “male” and “female” or “men” and “women.” While we typically avoid language like this, specificity is key when reporting on research participants and clinical findings.

Two important nutrients for sustained energy are protein and complex carbs.

Protein

As you age, your body can develop sarcopenia, a condition where muscles become weaker. This can lead to more falls and injuries. Not eating enough protein can speed up this muscle decline, contributing to tiredness.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that if you’re over age 51, you should try to eat around 56 grams (g) of protein each day if you’re following a 2,000-calorie diet. To figure out how much protein you need, multiply your body weight in kilograms by 0.8 grams. If you’re over 65, you might need a bit more, around 1 to 1.2 g per kg. One kg is roughly 2.2 pounds (lb).

But, as you age, it may become a bit tougher to digest and use protein as efficiently, making it challenging to hit that daily target. High protein food options to choose from include:

  • lean meats
  • eggs
  • fish
  • beans
  • tofu

Fish protein may be especially good for keeping muscles and bones healthy as we age. You can also consider taking protein supplements, though it’s always a good idea to speak with a doctor for guidance first.

Complex carbs

Because carbohydrates give your body the energy it needs to keep going strong, choosing the right kinds of carbohydrates is key to staying energized throughout the day.

It’s important to choose complex carbohydrates, which are packed with fiber. Your body digests fiber slowly, providing steady energy. Complex carbohydrates are in delicious fruits, veggies, and whole grains like oats, barley, or brown rice.

In particular, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can support physical health, boost mood, and sharpen cognition.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, people over age 51 should aim to eat 130 g of complex carbohydrates daily. The guidelines also recommend women aim for around 22 g of fiber, while men should aim for about 28 g.

On the other hand, it’s a good idea to limit refined carbs like white bread, pasta, cakes, and sugary drinks, as these foods can lead to quick energy crashes and might contribute to low energy in older age.

If you are living with prediabetes or diabetes, you’ll need to be even more mindful about your carb choices and their quantities. Speak with your doctor before making any big changes to your diet.

Nutrition with Medicare

Medicare Part B provides coverage for medical nutrition therapy services for people living with diabetes, kidney disease, or those who have recently undergone a kidney transplant. You can also get the same coverage under Medicare Advantage (Part C).

Nutritional deficiencies, particularly those more common in older people, can also reduce energy levels. These include deficiencies in vitamin B12, vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, and iron.

Consuming foods rich in these nutrients can help alleviate symptoms related to these deficiencies. Some examples of these foods and their recommended quantities for older adults include:

  • Vitamin B12: Aim to consume 2.4 micrograms (mcg) a day from sources like clams, liver, oysters, fish, lean red meats, eggs, and low fat dairy.
  • Vitamin D: Experts recommend consuming about 600 international units (IU) a day from oily fish, mushrooms, egg yolks, and fortified juice or milk.
  • Zinc: Aim for 8 to 11 milligrams (mg) a day, depending on your sex, from oysters, crab, lobster, beans, dark chicken meat, lean red meats, nuts, and seeds.
  • Magnesium: Recommended amounts are 320 to 420 mg a day, depending on your sex, from whole wheat, spinach, nuts, quinoa, edamame, avocado, tofu, and yogurt.
  • Iron: Experts recommend 8 mg a day from oysters, beans, lentils, organ meats, sardines, spinach, soy, cashews, and chickpeas.

Consuming foods rich in calcium will help you maintain bone health. Aim for about 1,200 mg each day from sources like:

  • dairy products
  • tofu
  • green leafy vegetables
  • nuts
  • seeds
  • legumes

It’s also a good idea to consume some folate (vitamin B9) from foods like legumes, eggs, citrus fruits, and fortified grains. The body needs folate for cell division to make new, healthy cells. Aim to eat about 400 mcg a day.

Cooking isn’t always feasible, particularly if you’re living with low energy, managing health issues, or leading a busy lifestyle. But keeping snacks from the categories mentioned in this article can help you maintain energy levels more easily.

Examples of simple energy-boosting snacks to have on hand can include:

  • hummus
  • low fat cheese or yogurt
  • chopped vegetables and fruit
  • berries
  • nuts
  • boiled eggs
  • nut butters without added salt or sugar
  • lean deli meats like turkey
  • lox

Staying hydrated

Water is essential for energy. Even brief water deprivation can cause partial dehydration. Dehydration is more common in older age and can contribute to fatigue.

The National Academy of Medicine recommends that women over the age of 51 drink about 9 cups of fluids per day, while men should aim to drink 13 cups to maintain energy.

Feeling low on energy as you age is pretty common, and there are many reasons why this might happen. Nutrition is only one factor that can contribute to fatigue.

Fatigue can develop naturally with age, but it may also be a sign of a medical condition like anemia, diabetes, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or something more serious like cancer.

But just because you’re feeling tired doesn’t mean you’re sick. Other contributing factors include lack of sleep, low levels of physical activity, and stress.

If these factors are affecting you, it might help to try keeping to a regular sleep schedule, introducing more physical activity where possible, and exploring stress-reducing activities like yoga or meditation. If you have any medical conditions, it’s important to work with your doctor to manage them.

SilverSneakers

If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (Part C) health insurance plan, you may have access to SilverSneakers.

This fitness program specifically caters to people over 65, giving them special access to gyms, community exercise classes, and workout videos.

There isn’t just one cause of low energy, though it can become more common as you age. Fatigue can develop for many reasons, including natural changes that can come with aging, chronic medical conditions, and lifestyle factors, including diet.

If you are not already doing so, eating nutritious foods and including enough protein and complex carbohydrates in your diet may help you maintain energy levels and feel better overall.