Protein intake calculator
A daily protein target in grams. The RDA is shown alongside, because it answers a different question from the one most people are asking.
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Result
These are estimates from population-level equations, not a measurement of you and not medical advice. Individual results vary widely. Talk to a doctor or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to how you eat or train.
How this is calculated
Protein per kilogram of body weightdefault
protein (g/day) = g/kg × body weight (kg)
RDA 0.8 g/kg
training populations 1.2–2.0 g/kg
resistance plateau ~1.6 g/kg
training in a deficit up to 2.2 g/kg
- Source
- RDA: Institute of Medicine, Dietary Reference Intakes, 2005. Training ranges: Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM, Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 116(3), 2016, pp. 501–528. Plateau: Morton RW et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine 52(6), 2018, pp. 376–384. Deficit: Helms ER et al., International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism 24(2), 2014, pp. 127–138.
- Assumes
- Healthy kidney function and that protein need scales with total body mass. At high body fat percentages, scaling to lean mass is more defensible.
- Accuracy
- The 1.6 g/kg plateau comes from a meta-regression with a confidence interval extending to about 2.2 g/kg, so the exact figure is less certain than it looks. Anywhere in the 1.6 to 2.2 range is well supported for someone training.
Daily protein by body weight and activity
Grams per day. The first column is the RDA, which is the amount that prevents deficiency in most healthy adults — not a target for someone training.
| Body weight | 0.8 g/kg | 1.2 g/kg | 1.4 g/kg | 1.6 g/kg | 1.8 g/kg | 2.2 g/kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 40 g | 60 g | 70 g | 80 g | 90 g | 110 g |
| 60 kg | 48 g | 72 g | 84 g | 96 g | 108 g | 132 g |
| 70 kg | 56 g | 84 g | 98 g | 112 g | 126 g | 154 g |
| 80 kg | 64 g | 96 g | 112 g | 128 g | 144 g | 176 g |
| 90 kg | 72 g | 108 g | 126 g | 144 g | 162 g | 198 g |
| 100 kg | 80 g | 120 g | 140 g | 160 g | 180 g | 220 g |
| 110 kg | 88 g | 132 g | 154 g | 176 g | 198 g | 242 g |
Questions
- Is the RDA enough protein?
- It depends what for. The RDA of 0.8 g/kg is the amount that prevents deficiency in most healthy adults — it is a floor, not an optimum. For someone training, the evidence supports roughly double that. Treating the RDA as a target for a lifter is the most common error in protein advice.
- Is more protein always better?
- No. Morton and colleagues found gains in muscle mass plateau around 1.6 g/kg, with the confidence interval reaching about 2.2. Beyond that there is no measured additional benefit for muscle gain, though higher intakes are not harmful in healthy people.
- Should I use body weight or lean mass?
- At a typical body composition it makes little difference. At a high body fat percentage, scaling to total weight inflates the target, because fat tissue has minimal protein requirement. Lean mass is the better basis there.
- Does high protein damage the kidneys?
- In people with healthy kidneys, controlled trials have not shown harm from intakes in this range. The concern comes from people with existing kidney disease, for whom protein restriction is sometimes prescribed. If you have kidney problems, this is a question for your doctor.
- Why does protein go up when calories go down?
- Because in a deficit the body is more likely to break down lean tissue for energy, and a higher protein intake reduces that. It also helps with fullness at a lower total intake, which makes the deficit easier to hold.