How much protein do you need per day?
The baseline is smaller than fitness culture suggests, but your goal can push it higher. Here is how to find your number.
Split your daily calories into protein, carbs and fat for the diet style you choose.
Protein is having a moment, and for good reason: it builds and repairs muscle, keeps you full, and is the hardest of the three macronutrients to overeat. But the amount you actually need is easy to get wrong in both directions. Here is how to land on a daily target that matches your body and your goal.
The baseline: how much you need to not run short
The official recommended dietary allowance is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. For a 70 kg (154 lb) person that is about 56 grams a day. It is worth understanding what this figure is: the minimum to prevent deficiency in an average, sedentary adult, not the optimal amount for someone training hard or trying to change their body.
How much protein to build muscle
If you lift weights or train seriously, research consistently points to a higher intake, commonly in the range of 1.2 to 2.0 grams per kilogram, with around 1.6 g/kg a frequently cited sweet spot for building muscle. For that same 70 kg person, that is roughly 110 to 140 grams a day. Spreading it across meals, rather than one big hit, helps your body use it. More than about 2.0 g/kg rarely adds extra benefit for most people.
How much protein for weight loss
When you are eating in a calorie deficit, protein does two valuable jobs. It keeps you fuller for longer, which makes the deficit easier to stick to, and it helps preserve muscle so the weight you lose is fat rather than muscle. A target toward the higher end, around 1.6 to 2.0 g/kg of your target body weight, is common advice for people losing fat. This is exactly why higher-protein diets tend to feel less punishing.
Do women and older adults need different amounts?
The per-kilogram guidance is the same for men and women; the totals differ only because body weights differ. Pregnancy and breastfeeding raise the need, and should be guided by a professional. Older adults are the notable exception: muscle is lost more easily with age, so many experts suggest people over about 65 aim higher than the 0.8 g/kg baseline to protect strength and independence.
How to actually hit your number
Protein targets look large until you see them in food. Rough amounts: a chicken breast has around 30 to 40 grams, a can of tuna about 25, three eggs about 18, a cup of Greek yoghurt around 15 to 20, and a scoop of whey about 25. Anchoring each meal around a protein source, then filling in carbs and fats, is the simplest way to reach a higher target without tracking every gram. Our macro calculator turns your calorie goal into protein, carb and fat targets so you have a concrete number to aim at.
Can you eat too much protein?
For healthy people, very high protein intakes are generally considered safe, though there is little benefit beyond the ranges above and it can crowd out other foods. If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, protein needs are different and should be set with your doctor.
The bottom line
Start from 0.8 g/kg as the floor, aim for roughly 1.2 to 2.0 g/kg if you train or are losing fat, spread it across meals, and build each plate around a protein source. This is general information, not medical or dietary advice, so check with a qualified professional if you have a health condition, are pregnant, or plan a big change.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein do I need per day?
The baseline RDA is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, about 56 grams for a 70 kg person. If you train or are losing fat, aim higher, roughly 1.2 to 2.0 g/kg, with around 1.6 g/kg a common target for building muscle.
How much protein to build muscle?
Research points to about 1.2 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight, with 1.6 g/kg a frequently cited sweet spot. For a 70 kg person that is roughly 110 to 140 grams a day, spread across meals.
How much protein for weight loss?
Toward the higher end, around 1.6 to 2.0 g/kg of your target weight. Protein keeps you fuller in a calorie deficit and helps preserve muscle, so the weight you lose is more likely to be fat.
Do older adults need more protein?
Often, yes. Because muscle is lost more easily with age, many experts suggest people over about 65 aim above the 0.8 g/kg baseline to protect strength. Discuss specifics with a professional.
Can you eat too much protein?
For healthy people, high intakes are generally considered safe, but there is little benefit beyond about 2.0 g/kg and it can crowd out other foods. With kidney disease or other conditions, set protein needs with your doctor.