How much protein do I really need?

The minimum to avoid deficiency is about 0.8 g/kg. Active people benefit from 1.2–2.0 g/kg, and strength athletes up to about 2.2 g/kg. More is not automatically better.

Can I eat too much protein?

Very high intakes are generally safe for healthy people but can displace other nutrients and are hard to sustain. Spread intake across meals for best use.

Do I need protein supplements?

Not necessarily. Whole foods can meet most targets. Supplements are convenient when whole-food protein is impractical or appetite is low.

How much protein do I really need?

The minimum to avoid deficiency is about 0.8 g/kg. Active people benefit from 1.2–2.0 g/kg, and strength athletes up to about 2.2 g/kg. More is not automatically better, so pick the factor that matches your activity.

Do I need protein supplements?

Not necessarily. Whole foods can meet most targets. Supplements are convenient when whole-food protein is impractical or appetite is low, but they are not required to hit a daily gram target.

Health & Fitness Calculators

Protein Intake Calculator

Protein supports muscle repair, satiety and many metabolic functions. Needs rise with activity: sedentary adults need around 0.8 g per kg, while strength athletes may benefit from 1.6–2.2 g per kg.

Enter your body weight and activity level. The calculator returns a daily protein target in grams.

It is the number to check when you start training hard or dieting, because protein is the macro people most often under-eat when cutting calories.

Body weightkg

Activity level

Enter your values to see the result.

How this is calculated

This calculator estimates a daily protein target in grams from body weight and activity level. It multiplies your weight in kilograms by a grams-per-kilogram factor that rises with training demands: about 0.8 g/kg for sedentary adults (the minimum to avoid deficiency), 1.2 for recreational exercisers, 1.6 for regular training, 2.0 for endurance athletes, and up to about 2.2 for strength athletes.

Protein supports muscle repair, satiety and many metabolic functions, so needs climb with training volume and intensity. The result is a daily target to spread across meals, since the body uses protein more evenly than in one large dose.

The model uses population ranges and does not account for kidney disease (where protein may need to be limited under medical supervision), total calorie intake (very low calories raise protein needs to protect muscle), age (older adults benefit from slightly more), or plant-versus-animal protein quality. Very high intakes are generally safe for healthy people but can displace other nutrients. Use it alongside the macro calculator to fit protein into a full daily split.

Worked example

A 70 kg adult who trains regularly (1.6 g/kg).

1Factor = 1.6 g per kg of body weight.
2Daily target = 70 × 1.6 = 112 g of protein per day.
3Spread across three meals, that is roughly 37 g per meal.

Frequently asked questions

How much protein do I really need?: The minimum to avoid deficiency is about 0.8 g/kg. Active people benefit from 1.2–2.0 g/kg, and strength athletes up to about 2.2 g/kg. More is not automatically better.
Can I eat too much protein?: Very high intakes are generally safe for healthy people but can displace other nutrients and are hard to sustain. Spread intake across meals for best use.
Do I need protein supplements?: Not necessarily. Whole foods can meet most targets. Supplements are convenient when whole-food protein is impractical or appetite is low.
How much protein do I really need?: The minimum to avoid deficiency is about 0.8 g/kg. Active people benefit from 1.2–2.0 g/kg, and strength athletes up to about 2.2 g/kg. More is not automatically better, so pick the factor that matches your activity.
Do I need protein supplements?: Not necessarily. Whole foods can meet most targets. Supplements are convenient when whole-food protein is impractical or appetite is low, but they are not required to hit a daily gram target.

Related calculators

Method: body weight × activity-based g/kg factor. No external data source. Last updated: September 2026.

These results are general estimates from established formulas and are not medical advice. They depend on the accuracy of the values you enter and on individual factors the formulas cannot capture. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making decisions about your diet, training or treatment.