How much protein you need per day
Recommended grams of protein based on your weight and activity level.
Calculator inputs
Results
Enter your values and press “Calculate” to see the result.
In short
- What it calculates
- Recommended grams of protein based on your weight and activity level.
- Formula used
Sedentary: 0.8 – 1.0 g per kg- Example
- A 70 kg person with moderate activity:
Daily protein calculator
Protein needs depend mostly on body weight and how much you train. The minimum recommendation for sedentary people is far below that of someone lifting four days a week.
A range is shown along with a recommended value inside it.
How it works
The intake ranges used by sports nutrition bodies are applied, expressed in grams per kilo of body weight and adjusted by activity level.
Formula
Sedentary: 0.8 – 1.0 g per kg
Light: 1.0 – 1.4 g per kg
Moderate: 1.4 – 1.7 g per kg
Intense: 1.6 – 2.0 g per kg
Athlete: 1.8 – 2.2 g per kg
Calories = grams × 4
Worked example
A 70 kg person with moderate activity:
Range: 98 – 119 g
Recommended: 109 g a day
Split across 4 meals: 27 g per meal
Explanation
The figures depend heavily on the goal
Official recommendations for the general population start from about 0.8 grams per kilo of body weight a day, an amount designed to avoid deficiency rather than optimise anything. People training with weights or trying to preserve muscle in a calorie deficit generally work with considerably higher figures, and older people need more than younger ones for the same effect.
Spreading it through the day
Muscle protein synthesis responds to doses, and concentrating the whole intake in one meal uses it less efficiently than spreading it across three or four. It is not a dramatic difference, but it is real and costs nothing: it is simply a matter of ordering meals.
Quality as well as quantity
What matters is not only the total but the amino acid profile and digestibility. Animal sources are usually complete; combining legumes with grains achieves an equivalent profile, which is the basis of well-planned vegetarian diets.
When to seek advice
In people with kidney, liver or metabolic disease, protein intake is not a free choice. Any significant dietary change should be discussed with a health professional.
Frequently asked questions
Is too much protein dangerous?
In healthy people, intakes within these ranges show no adverse effects. If you have kidney problems, check with your doctor.
Why split it across meals?
Because muscle protein synthesis responds better to repeated 20–40 gram doses than to one very large meal.
Do older people need more protein?
Research suggests they do, because the muscle response to protein declines with age and more is needed for the same effect.
Does timing of protein matter?
Spreading it across three or four meals uses it somewhat better than concentrating it in one. The difference is modest but real.
Need to calculate something else?
These tools are often used alongside this calculator.
Calories
The calories you need for your goal, with the protein, fat and carb split.
TDEE
Calories you burn each day given your metabolism and activity level.
BMR
The calories your body burns at complete rest, from two formulas.
BMI
Calculate your BMI and see the healthy weight range for your height.
Ideal weight
Four classic formulas plus the healthy range from BMI.
Due date
Estimated birth date adjusted to your actual cycle length.