The involuntary loss of lean muscle mass that accompanies aging, or sarcopenia, necessitates identification of strategies that can blunt muscle protein breakdown and enhance muscle protein synthesis. This chapter focuses on the key factors impacting muscle protein synthesis in the elderly including adequacy of total caloric intake, a focus on the total daily quantity of high quality protein, a balanced pattern of protein ingestion per meal, characteristics regarding protein quality, anabolic resistance of aging, and achieving an adequacy of the essential amino acid, leucine, in each meal. A discussion is included regarding the existing limitations in current dietary protein recommendations for the elderly and the challenges of exaggerated muscle loss secondary to disuse.