How much protein do I need a day? For most adults, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or about 0.36 grams per pound. That is roughly 50 grams for a 140-pound person and 70 grams for a 200-pound person. Treat it as a minimum, not a target.
This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.
The 0.8 gram figure comes from the National Academy of Medicine, which recommends it as a minimum for adults. Harvard Health Publishing describes the RDA as, in a sense, the minimum you need to keep from getting sick, not the exact amount you are supposed to eat every day. Mayo Clinic Health System calls it the amount that prevents deficiency in an average adult who does not exercise.
To work out your own baseline:
Use your weight. Multiply your weight in kilograms by 0.8, or your weight in pounds by 0.36.
Check it against examples. A 140-pound person needs about 50 grams a day, a 165-pound (75 kg) person about 60 grams, and a 200-pound person about 70 grams.
Adjust if you carry extra weight. Mayo Clinic Health System says that if you are overweight, your weight should be adjusted before you calculate, so you do not overestimate. A registered dietitian can help you do this.
There is also a wider range. The National Academy of Medicine says anywhere from 10% to 35% of your daily calories can come from protein. Each gram of protein has 4 calories, so MedlinePlus notes that on a 2,000-calorie diet, 100 grams of protein would supply 400 calories, or 20% of the day.
Harvard's Nutrition Source says individual needs vary with age, exercise, health conditions and overall diet, and that there is relatively little solid information on the ideal amount. Here is how guidance shifts in some common situations.
Getting older. Mayo Clinic Health System says sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass with age, begins to set in between ages 40 and 50. It suggests protein needs rise to about 1 to 1.2 grams per kilogram, around 75 to 90 grams a day for a 165-pound person. Not every expert group uses the same numbers, so ask your clinician or a dietitian what suits you.
Regular exercise. The same source puts needs at about 1.1 to 1.5 grams per kilogram for people who exercise regularly, and 1.2 to 1.7 grams per kilogram for people who lift weights or train for running or cycling events.
Losing weight. Mayo Clinic Health System stresses not skipping meals when you are trying to lose weight, and suggests a good source of protein three times a day. Harvard Health Publishing quotes a dietitian who says the verdict is still out on whether more protein helps weight loss.
Pregnancy. Harvard Health Publishing says protein needs go up, with experts recommending 75 to 100 grams a day. Check your own needs with your doctor.
Kidney concerns. Mayo Clinic Health System warns that extra protein can tax the kidneys and poses an added risk for people predisposed to kidney disease.
Taking a prescribed weight-management medication? Follow the advice of the clinician who prescribed it on how much protein to eat and how to eat while you take it. They know your health history. Mayo Clinic Health System specifically suggests talking to a dietitian if you are underweight or on weight-loss medication.
These are approximate amounts from Harvard Health Publishing, based on USDA data, plus Harvard's Nutrition Source for lentils:
3 ounces of tuna, salmon, haddock or trout: 21 grams
3 ounces of cooked chicken or turkey: 19 grams
1 cup of cooked lentils: about 18 grams, plus 15 grams of fiber
6 ounces of plain Greek yogurt: 17 grams
1/2 cup of cottage cheese: 14 grams
1/2 cup of cooked beans: 8 grams
1 cup of milk: 8 grams
1 cup of cooked pasta: 8 grams
1 ounce (about 1/4 cup) of nuts: 7 grams
1 egg: 6 grams
MedlinePlus offers a handy shortcut: 1 ounce of meat, fish or poultry, 1 large egg, 1/4 cup of tofu or 1/2 cup of cooked beans or lentils each count as about 7 grams. You do not need animal products to get enough protein.
Here is one way the numbers above can add up. It is an example, not a prescription, so swap in foods you like and adjust to your own target.
Breakfast: 6 ounces of plain Greek yogurt with 1 ounce of nuts. About 24 grams.
Lunch: 3 ounces of chicken over a salad with 1/2 cup of beans. About 27 grams.
Dinner: 3 ounces of salmon with vegetables. About 21 grams.
That totals about 72 grams, spread over three meals. Harvard Health Publishing notes that some studies suggest protein may be more effective when you spread it across meals and snacks rather than loading up at dinner.
Harvard's Nutrition Source makes a useful point: when you eat protein, you also get everything that comes with it, like fat, fiber and sodium. A 4-ounce sirloin steak has about 33 grams of protein and about 5 grams of saturated fat. A 4-ounce ham steak has 22 grams of protein but around 1,500 milligrams of sodium. A cup of cooked lentils has about 18 grams of protein with virtually no saturated fat or sodium.
Its evidence-based takeaway is that eating beans, nuts, fish or poultry in place of red and processed meat can lower the risk of several diseases. It also notes that protein powders, like other dietary supplements, are not regulated by the FDA for safety, and some contain added sugars and extra calories. If you use one, read the label.
You have kidney disease or are at risk of it.
You are pregnant.
You take a prescribed weight-management medication, or you are underweight.
You are unsure how to adjust the numbers for your weight, age or activity. Harvard's Nutrition Source notes a registered dietitian can help work out your individual needs.
Multiply your weight in pounds by 0.36, or your weight in kilograms by 0.8. That gives the RDA baseline in grams per day. Your clinician or a dietitian can tell you whether you need more.
Some guidance says yes. Mayo Clinic Health System suggests about 1 to 1.2 grams per kilogram from midlife on, because muscle loss begins between 40 and 50. Ask your doctor what fits your health.
Mayo Clinic Health System describes more than 2 grams per kilogram a day as excessive. Harvard's Nutrition Source notes that many people in the U.S. already eat more than enough. If you have kidney problems, check with your doctor before eating more.
Usually not. Harvard's Nutrition Source says protein deficiency is uncommon in healthy adults in the U.S., because protein is in so many foods. Powders are not regulated by the FDA for safety, so read labels carefully.
Sturdy: Strength on GLP-1 is an iPhone app for adults using GLP-1 or other prescribed weight-management medication. Its protein log works by meal period, with favorites, custom foods, saved meals, label-based entry and labeled estimates, or an optional checkmark-only mode if you would rather not count grams. It also builds an editable weekly strength plan around your training days, session length and equipment.
Sturdy never suggests medication doses and makes no medical claims: it does not diagnose, treat or prevent any condition. It needs no account, has no ads, keeps your records on your iPhone, and is free with an optional Sturdy Pro upgrade.
Get Sturdy free on the App Store
Protein (The Nutrition Source, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health)
How much protein do you need every day? (Harvard Health Publishing)
Protein in diet (MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine)