Nutrition Tools
Protein Intake Calculator
Find your daily and per-meal protein target based on your weight, age, training and goal — using the same evidence as our protein guide.
Calculate
your numbers
Result Guide
Understanding Your Result
Here's what each range means and how to interpret your number.
Deficiency floor (the RDA)
0.8 g/kg (0.36 g/lb)Set to prevent deficiency in nearly everyone. A floor with a safety margin, not a target.
General health
1.0–1.2 g/kg (0.45–0.54 g/lb)Healthy adults who aren't lifting or losing weight. Newer measurement methods put needs here, above the RDA.
Resistance training
1.6 g/kg (0.73 g/lb)In a large meta-analysis, gains in lean mass largely plateaued around 1.6 g/kg. The upper estimate was about 2.2 g/kg (1.0 g/lb).
Calorie deficit
1.6–2.4 g/kg (0.73–1.1 g/lb)Higher intake while losing weight helps preserve muscle.
Over 65
1.0–1.2 g/kg healthy · 1.2–1.5 active, ill or losing weightAging muscle responds less to protein, so needs rise even as appetite often falls.
Losing weight on a GLP-1
1.6+ g/kg (0.73+ g/lb)Appetite suppression makes it easy to under-eat protein. Plan it deliberately, alongside resistance training.
Learn More
The Science Behind the Number
Why the RDA is a floor
The 0.8 g/kg RDA is set high enough to prevent deficiency in nearly all healthy people. It was never meant to describe the intake that best supports muscle, body composition during weight loss, or healthy aging. Newer measurement methods put healthy adults' needs closer to 1.0–1.2 g/kg.
How the calculation works
We choose the evidence-based intake for your situation — general health, resistance training, a calorie deficit, age 65 or older, or weight loss on a GLP-1 — multiply it by your weight in kilograms, and add about 20% for a mostly plant-based diet. These are the same numbers used in our protein guide.
Spread it across the day
Muscle protein synthesis responds to a per-meal threshold of roughly 25–40 g of high-quality protein, about 0.4 g/kg. Three or four meals that each clear it work better than one large protein-heavy dinner. Breakfast is the easiest place to start.
Plant-based protein
Plant proteins work well with two adjustments: eat roughly 20–25% more in total, and vary your sources across the day. Soy and pea protein are strong options, and soy is comparable to animal protein for building muscle.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
More Tools
Explore Other Calculators
More tools to help you understand and optimize your health.
Ready to take the next step?
Explore treatment protocols built around your numbers and your goals.
Browse Treatments