How Much Protein Per Day Do You Need? How to Work It Out

This image shows a display of healthy foods on a table. Foods include beans, grains, cauliflower, cantelope, pasta, brea

Most healthy adults need at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, which is about 56 grams for a 70 kg (154 lb) person. That number is a floor, not a target. Older adults, people who lift weights, and women in later pregnancy usually need more, while people with advanced kidney disease may need less.

This guide is for everyday readers who want their own number and a realistic way to hit it with ordinary food.

Key takeaways

  • The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight per day for healthy adults, about 50 g a day for a 140 lb person.
  • An expert group on aging recommends 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg per day for people over 65, and 1.2 g/kg or more for older adults who exercise.
  • Most people who exercise regularly do well on 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg per day, according to the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
  • Spreading protein across meals, roughly 20 to 40 g every 3 to 4 hours, works better for muscle than loading it all into dinner.
  • People with chronic kidney disease should not raise protein on their own: the right amount depends on kidney function and should be set with a doctor or dietitian.

What is the RDA for protein, and what does it actually mean?

The RDA is 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health describes this National Academy of Medicine figure as a minimum, and translates it into "just over 7 grams for every 20 pounds of body weight."

Protein is the nutrient your body breaks into amino acids to build and repair muscle, skin, enzymes and immune cells. The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) is the intake that covers nearly all healthy people in a group. It was designed to prevent deficiency, not to set the best intake for every goal.

There is also a wider range. The same Harvard page notes that protein can make up anywhere from 10% to 35% of your daily calories. That range is called the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR). On a 2,000 calorie day, 10% to 35% works out to 50 to 175 g of protein, since each gram of protein supplies 4 calories.

How do you calculate how much protein you need per day?

Multiply your weight in kilograms by the grams per kilogram that fit your situation. It takes about a minute.

  1. Convert your weight to kilograms. Divide pounds by 2.2. A 180 lb person weighs about 82 kg.
  2. Pick your multiplier from the table below. Use 0.8 if you're a healthy, mostly inactive adult under 65. Use a higher figure only if one of the other rows applies.
  3. Multiply. 82 kg times 0.8 equals about 66 g a day. At 1.2 g/kg, the same person would aim for about 98 g.
  4. Divide by your meals. If you eat three meals, 98 g becomes roughly 33 g per meal.
SituationSuggested daily protein
Healthy adult, not very active0.8 g/kg (minimum)
Adult over 651.0 to 1.2 g/kg
Adult over 65 who exercises1.2 g/kg or more
Older adult with acute or chronic illness1.2 to 1.5 g/kg
Regular exerciser building or keeping muscle1.4 to 2.0 g/kg
Resistance-trained person in a calorie deficit2.3 to 3.1 g/kg may help keep lean mass
Pregnancy, first trimester0.8 g/kg (about 46 g/day)
Pregnancy, second and third trimesters1.1 g/kg (about 71 g/day)
Chronic kidney diseaseIndividual, set by your care team

How do protein needs change with age?

They go up. The PROT-AGE Study Group position paper (Bauer and colleagues, 2013) recommends an average of at least 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg per day for people over 65 to maintain and regain lean body mass and function.

Many older adults also eat less overall, so the RDA alone may not protect strength. If you've noticed you're getting weaker or your clothes fit differently, this explainer on why muscle mass declines and what reverses it covers the warning signs. Protein works best alongside resistance exercise, and these simple strength moves for healthy aging are a sensible place to start.

For a 68 kg (150 lb) 70-year-old, that means about 68 to 82 g a day, versus 54 g at the RDA.

How much protein do you need to build muscle or lose weight?

If you train regularly, 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg per day is enough for most people. That's the conclusion of the International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand on protein and exercise (2017), which reviewed the research on building and keeping muscle.

The same paper notes that resistance-trained people eating fewer calories than they burn may benefit from 2.3 to 3.1 g/kg to hold on to lean mass. For most people losing weight, the bigger wins are keeping protein at or above baseline, eating some at every meal, and continuing strength work so the weight you lose is mostly fat.

Food first is easier. When that's hard, try homemade protein shakes without artificial sweeteners, and see this guide to balancing real food and supplements.

How much protein do you need during pregnancy?

Needs rise in the second and third trimesters. A 2021 analysis of U.S. national survey data by Murphy and colleagues in the journal Nutrients cites the Institute of Medicine RDA as 46 g a day (0.8 g/kg) in the first trimester and 71 g a day (1.1 g/kg) in the second and third trimesters.

The same paper describes newer estimates using a different lab method that suggest higher needs, about 1.22 g/kg in early pregnancy and 1.52 g/kg in late pregnancy. The authors call these exploratory and say more research is needed, so they aren't official targets yet. Your prenatal team can adjust your target.

Should you limit protein if you have kidney disease?

Possibly, but only with professional guidance. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) says some people with chronic kidney disease may need moderate amounts of protein so waste doesn't build up in the blood, while too little protein can lead to malnutrition. It also says people on dialysis may need more protein, not less.

The PROT-AGE paper makes the same exception: older adults with severely reduced kidney function (an eGFR below 30) who are not on dialysis may need to limit protein. With diabetes or high blood pressure, get kidney function checked before going high-protein. These everyday habits that protect kidney health are a good companion read.

How much protein is in common foods?

A palm-sized portion of meat or fish gives you roughly 20 to 26 g, while most plant servings give 7 to 22 g. The figures below are calculated from the USDA's FoodData Central database (SR Legacy data) and rounded to the nearest gram.

FoodServingProtein (g)
Chicken breast, roasted, no skin3 oz (85 g)26
Salmon, Atlantic farmed, cooked3 oz (85 g)19
Light tuna, canned in water, drained3 oz (85 g)17
Firm tofu (calcium sulfate)1/2 cup (126 g)22
Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat6 oz container (170 g)17
Edamame (green soybeans), cooked1/2 cup (90 g)11
Lentils, boiled1/2 cup (99 g)9
Milk, 2%1 cup (244 g)8
Quinoa, cooked1 cup (185 g)8
Chickpeas, boiled1/2 cup (82 g)7
Peanut butter, smooth2 tbsp (32 g)7
Egg, large, hard-boiled1 egg (50 g)6
Almonds1 oz (about 23 nuts)6

If you're unsure about dairy, this look at whether dairy is healthy and how much to eat lays out the evidence. Harvard's advice is to pay attention to the whole "protein package": favor fish, poultry, beans and nuts, limit red meat and cheese, and avoid processed meats like bacon and cold cuts.

How should you spread protein across your meals?

Aim for a solid serving at each meal rather than one large one at dinner. The ISSN position stand suggests about 0.25 g/kg of high-quality protein per dose, or 20 to 40 g, ideally every 3 to 4 hours.

Many people eat most of their protein at night, so shifting some earlier is the simplest fix. Here's what a day of roughly 100 g can look like for an 82 kg person aiming for 1.2 g/kg:

  • Breakfast (about 30 g): 6 oz Greek yogurt (17 g), 2 tbsp peanut butter on toast (7 g), plus an extra egg (6 g).
  • Lunch (about 32 g): salad with 3 oz canned tuna (17 g), 1/2 cup chickpeas (7 g) and a glass of milk (8 g).
  • Dinner (about 34 g): 3 oz roasted chicken breast (26 g) with 1 cup quinoa (8 g).
  • Snack (about 6 g): a handful of almonds.

Eating mostly plants? It's doable, but it takes more planning, since many plant foods are lower in protein per serving. If you've felt drained since cutting out meat, this piece on fatigue after switching to plant-based eating explains the usual gaps.

When is more protein not better?

Past your target, extra protein mainly adds calories and cost, not extra muscle. Harvard puts it bluntly: "There's no need to go overboard on protein." Its research found that the share of calories from protein was not related to overall mortality, but the source was, which is why the protein package matters more than the gram count once you're above your needs.

Common mistakes

  • Treating the RDA as everyone's goal. It's a minimum; older and active people usually need more.
  • Back-loading protein into dinner. A low-protein breakfast and lunch makes the daily total harder to use well.
  • Raising protein with kidney disease without advice. This is the clearest case where more can be harmful.

If you want detail on the warning signs of overdoing it, this article on the symptoms and risks of too much protein covers digestion, hydration and kidney concerns.

When to see a doctor

Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before changing your protein intake, or soon, if any of these apply:

  • You have chronic kidney disease, are on dialysis, or have had a kidney transplant.
  • You have diabetes or high blood pressure and haven't had your kidney function checked recently.
  • You notice foamy urine, swelling in your ankles, legs or around your eyes, or a big change in how much you urinate.
  • You're losing weight or muscle without trying, or you're getting noticeably weaker.
  • You're pregnant and can't keep food down for more than a day, or you're struggling to eat enough.
  • You have liver disease or a condition that affects how you digest or absorb food.

FAQ

How much protein per day do I need to build muscle?

Most people who train regularly do well with 1.4 to 2.0 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, according to the International Society of Sports Nutrition. For an 80 kg person, that's about 112 to 160 g a day. Split it into 20 to 40 g servings every 3 to 4 hours and pair it with consistent resistance training.

Is 100 grams of protein a day too much?

For most healthy adults, no. On a 2,000 calorie diet, 100 g provides 400 calories, or 20% of intake, well inside the 10% to 35% acceptable range Harvard cites. It may be more than a smaller, inactive person needs, though, and people with kidney disease should follow their care team's limit instead.

Do older adults really need more protein?

Yes. The PROT-AGE Study Group recommends at least 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg per day for people over 65, and 1.2 g/kg or more for those who exercise, to help maintain muscle and function. That's 25% to 50% more than the standard RDA. The exception is severe kidney disease, where intake may need to be limited.

Can I get enough protein without meat?

Yes, with some planning. Firm tofu provides about 22 g per half cup, edamame about 11 g, and lentils about 9 g, based on USDA data. Build each meal around one dense protein source rather than relying on grains and vegetables alone.

What to do next

  1. Work out your number today: weight in kg times the multiplier from the table above.
  2. Track one ordinary day of eating using the food table and see how close you get.
  3. Add 20 to 30 g of protein to whichever meal is lowest, usually breakfast.
  4. If you're over 65, pregnant, or have kidney disease, diabetes or high blood pressure, check your target with your doctor or a registered dietitian.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice.

Sources

Last reviewed: October 2026.

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