How much protein do you need per day?
Short answer
The long-standing adult Recommended Dietary Allowance is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight a day, or about 46 grams for women and 56 for men at the National Academies' reference weights. The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines set a higher serving goal of 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram. Expert groups suggest more for older adults and for people who exercise.
On this page
What are the official recommendations?
There are two, and they answer different questions. The first is the Recommended Dietary Allowance, or RDA, from the National Academies' Dietary Reference Intakes: 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight a day for adults. An RDA is set to meet the needs of nearly all healthy people, 97 to 98 percent of them. It is calculated from an average requirement of 0.66 grams per kilogram, the intake that meets the needs of half of healthy adults.
At the reference body weights the National Academies use, the RDA works out to 46 grams a day for women and 56 grams for men. During pregnancy and breastfeeding it rises to 71 grams. The same tables give an acceptable range of 10 to 35 percent of calories from protein for adults.
The second is the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released in January 2026. They advise prioritizing protein foods at every meal and give a "protein serving goal" of 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight a day, adjusted to your calorie needs. That is 50 to 100 percent above the RDA.
How much protein is that for you?
Multiply your weight in kilograms by the target. To convert pounds to kilograms, divide by 2.2.
| Body weight | RDA, 0.8 g/kg | 1.2 g/kg | 1.6 g/kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lb) | 44 g | 66 g | 88 g |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 56 g | 84 g | 112 g |
| 85 kg (187 lb) | 68 g | 102 g | 136 g |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 80 g | 120 g | 160 g |
Do older adults need more?
Yes, according to an international expert group. In 2013 the PROT-AGE Study Group recommended that people over 65 average at least 1.0 to 1.2 grams per kilogram a day to maintain and regain lean body mass and function. It advised 1.2 grams or more for older adults who exercise or are otherwise active, and 1.2 to 1.5 grams for most older adults with an acute or chronic disease.
There's an important exception. The same group said older adults with severe kidney disease who are not on dialysis may need to limit protein. If you have kidney disease, set your protein target with your clinician rather than from a table.
The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines make a similar point: some older adults need fewer calories but equal or greater amounts of key nutrients such as protein.
How much protein helps if you exercise?
More than the RDA. A 2017 position stand from the International Society of Sports Nutrition found 1.4 to 2.0 grams per kilogram a day sufficient for most people who exercise. It added that 2.3 to 3.1 grams may help strength-trained people keep lean mass while eating below maintenance.
A 2018 meta-analysis of 49 studies with 1,863 participants found that extra protein during weight training produced no further gains in fat-free mass beyond a total intake of about 1.62 grams per kilogram a day. The benefit shrank with age and was larger in people who were already trained.
Which foods supply protein?
Both animal and plant foods, and the guidelines encourage a variety of each. According to USDA FoodData Central:
- Roasted chicken breast, half a breast (86 g): about 27 g
- Firm tofu, ½ cup (126 g): about 22 g
- Cooked lentils, 1 cup: about 18 g
- Plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 170 g container: about 17 g
- Light tuna canned in water, drained, 3 oz: about 17 g
- Cooked black beans, 1 cup: about 15 g
- 2% milk, 1 cup: about 8 g
- Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons: about 7 g
- Egg, 1 large: about 6 g
Protein doesn't list a % Daily Value on most U.S. labels. The FDA requires one only when a product makes a protein claim or is meant for children under 4, and notes that protein intake is not a public health concern for adults and children over 4 in the United States.
Common questions
Can you eat too much protein?
The guidance cited here doesn't give an upper limit for healthy adults, but some people should eat less protein, not more. The PROT-AGE group's exception for older adults with severe kidney disease is one example, so if you have a kidney condition, ask your clinician before raising your intake.
Should I spread protein across meals?
Yes, both main sources here suggest it. The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines advise protein at every meal, and the sports nutrition position stand suggests servings of 20 to 40 grams, or about 0.25 grams per kilogram, spread evenly every 3 to 4 hours.
Does protein help with weight loss?
It can help in two ways. A 2004 review found protein takes more energy to digest than carbohydrate or fat and plays a key role in satiety, and higher intakes help strength-trained people keep lean mass during a calorie deficit.
Sources
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium, Appendix J: Dietary Reference Intakes Summary Tables. 2019. nationalacademies.org
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030. cdn.realfood.gov
- Bauer J, Biolo G, Cederholm T, et al. Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 2013;14(8):542–559. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2017;14:20. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2018;52(6):376–384. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Westerterp KR. Diet induced thermogenesis. Nutrition & Metabolism. 2004;1(1):5. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label. Content current as of March 5, 2024. fda.gov
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central. Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted (FDC ID 171477). fdc.nal.usda.gov
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central. Tofu, raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate (FDC ID 172475). fdc.nal.usda.gov
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central. Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC ID 172421). fdc.nal.usda.gov
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central. Yogurt, Greek, plain, nonfat (FDC ID 170894). fdc.nal.usda.gov
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central. Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids (FDC ID 173709). fdc.nal.usda.gov
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central. Beans, black, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC ID 173735). fdc.nal.usda.gov
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central. Milk, reduced fat, fluid, 2% milkfat, with added vitamin A and vitamin D (FDC ID 171267). fdc.nal.usda.gov
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central. Peanut butter, smooth style, without salt (FDC ID 172470). fdc.nal.usda.gov
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central. Egg, whole, raw, fresh (FDC ID 171287). fdc.nal.usda.gov
Estimates, not medical advice. If you're pregnant, have a medical condition or have a history of disordered eating, talk to a clinician before changing how you eat.
Written by the SeeMeEat editorial team under a pen name.