How much protein do I need per day?

The recommended daily protein intake depends on your activity level and goal. Sedentary adults need about 0.8 g/kg body weight. For muscle building, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day. During a caloric deficit, higher intakes (up to 2.4 g/kg) help preserve muscle.

Can you eat too much protein?

For healthy adults with normal kidney function, protein intakes up to 3.5 g/kg/day have shown no adverse effects in research. However, intakes above 2.2 g/kg/day provide diminishing returns for muscle building. People with pre-existing kidney disease should consult their doctor.

Is protein more important when losing weight?

Yes. During a caloric deficit, higher protein intake (2.0–2.4 g/kg/day) helps preserve lean muscle mass while losing fat. This is supported by multiple studies including research by Helms et al. (2014) on athletes in energy restriction.

Back to Calculators

Nutrition

Protein Needs Calculator

Get evidence-based daily protein targets tailored to your body weight, training goal, and activity level. Based on meta-analyses from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN).

Your Details

Body Weight

Calculation Method

Total BW is simpler; LBM is more precise for lean individuals.

Body Fat %

Required for LBM method. Use the Body Fat calculator for accuracy.

Primary Goal

Training Type

Age

Older adults (50+) benefit from higher protein intake to prevent sarcopenia.

Your Result

Enter your weight and goal to get a personalised protein target.

What Your Result Means

For educational purposes only — not medical advice.

For muscle building with resistance training, the ISSN recommends 1.6-2.2 g/kg of body weight per day. Evidence suggests diminishing returns above 2.2 g/kg in most individuals, though higher intakes (up to 3.1 g/kg) can be useful during aggressive fat loss to preserve lean mass.

The leucine threshold matters. Each meal should contain a leucine-rich protein source providing at least 2.5 g of leucine to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis (Norton & Layman 2006, DOI: 10.1093/jn/136.2.533S). Distribute your protein across 3-5 meals of 30-50 g each.

Older adults (50+) need more. Age-related anabolic resistance means adults over 50 should aim for at least 1.2 g/kg as a minimum to prevent sarcopenia, with 1.6+ g/kg recommended for those who are active (Bauer et al. 2013, DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2013.05.021).

Timing is overrated — total daily intake is king. The post-workout "anabolic window" is much wider than the 30-minute myth suggests. A systematic review found that total daily protein intake is a far stronger predictor of muscle gain than meal timing (Schoenfeld et al. 2013, DOI: 10.1186/1550-2783-10-53). Focus on hitting your daily target consistently rather than stressing about exact timing.

Method 1 — Total Body Weight (Morton et al. 2018):
  Protein (g) = multiplier × total body weight (kg)
  Muscle gain: 1.6–2.2 g/kg · Fat loss: 1.8–2.7 g/kg · Maintenance: 0.8–1.2 g/kg

Method 2 — Lean Body Mass (Helms et al. 2014):
  LBM = weight × (1 − body fat %)
  Protein (g) = multiplier × LBM (kg)
  Same multiplier ranges applied to lean mass instead of total mass

Morton RW et al. — A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength (2018)

British Journal of Sports Medicine · DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608 · n = 1,863 subjects · Used for Total Body Weight method

Helms ER et al. — A systematic review of dietary protein during caloric restriction in resistance trained lean athletes (2014)

International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism · DOI: 10.1123/ijsnem.2013-0054 · Used for Lean Body Mass method

Stokes T et al. — Recent Perspectives Regarding the Role of Dietary Protein for the Promotion of Muscle Hypertrophy with Resistance Exercise Training (2018)

Nutrients · DOI: 10.3390/nu10020180

Norton LE & Layman DK — Leucine Regulates Translation Initiation of Protein Synthesis in Skeletal Muscle after Exercise (2006)

Journal of Nutrition · DOI: 10.1093/jn/136.2.533S

Bauer J et al. — Evidence-Based Recommendations for Optimal Dietary Protein Intake in Older People (2013)

JAMDA · DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2013.05.021 · PROT-AGE Study Group

Schoenfeld BJ et al. — The effect of protein timing on muscle strength and hypertrophy: a meta-analysis (2013)

JISSN · DOI: 10.1186/1550-2783-10-53 · n = 23 studies

✓ Strong Evidence

Want to learn more? Read our in-depth article: How Much Protein Do You Need to Build Muscle? →

Recommended Equipment

Amazon-Partner: Als Amazon-Partner verdiene ich an qualifizierten Verkäufen. · As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Etekcity Kitchen Food Scale (0.1g precision)

Accurately weigh your protein portions. Hitting your daily target is much easier when you measure instead of guessing.

View on Amazon →

Tanita BC-545N Body Composition Scale

Track your skeletal muscle mass over time to see if your protein intake is supporting your training goals.

View on Amazon →

Protein Needs Calculator

What Your Result Means

Recommended Reading

Recommended Equipment

Related Calculators