Protein Calculator | Daily Protein Intake Requirements | Protein Needs By Weight

Protein is an essential macronutrient critical for muscle building, tissue repair, immune function, hormone production, and countless other bodily processes. This calculator determines your personalized daily protein requirements based on your weight, activity level, age, and specific fitness goals.

While general population guidelines often recommend 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight (or about 0.36g per pound), research consistently shows that higher protein intakes benefit active individuals, athletes, older adults, and those looking to lose weight while preserving valuable muscle mass.

Your Daily Protein Requirements

Your specific protein needs depend on several key factors, including your body weight, activity level, age, and fitness goals. Athletes and highly active individuals typically require significantly more protein than sedentary people. Similarly, those looking to build muscle or lose weight while preserving lean mass benefit from higher protein intakes.

Why Optimal Protein Intake Matters for Health and Fitness

Adequate protein intake is crucial for:

• Muscle repair, growth, and preservation
• Immune system function and recovery
• Enzyme and hormone production
• Increased satiety and weight management
• Preserving lean body mass during weight loss
• Healthy aging and preventing age-related muscle loss
• Supporting metabolic health

Optimal Protein Requirements by Specific Goal

• General health maintenance: 0.8-1.0g per kg of body weight (0.36-0.45g/lb)
• Active individuals: 1.1-1.4g per kg of body weight (0.5-0.64g/lb)
• Endurance athletes: 1.2-1.6g per kg of body weight (0.55-0.73g/lb)
• Strength and power athletes: 1.6-2.2g per kg of body weight (0.73-1.0g/lb)
• Weight loss while preserving muscle: 1.6-2.4g per kg of body weight (0.73-1.1g/lb)
• Muscle building: 1.6-2.2g per kg of body weight (0.73-1.0g/lb)
• Older adults (65+): 1.2-2.0g per kg of body weight (0.55-0.91g/lb)

Remember that these recommendations refer to high-quality protein sources and should be distributed throughout the day for optimal muscle protein synthesis.

Protein Timing and Distribution for Optimal Results

Research suggests that distributing protein intake evenly throughout the day (20-40g per meal) is significantly more effective for muscle protein synthesis than consuming the majority of your protein in one meal. Including protein-rich foods with each meal and snack can help optimize muscle maintenance, recovery, and growth.

Primary Source: Phillips SM, Van Loon LJ. (2011). “Dietary protein for athletes: from requirements to optimum adaptation.” Journal of Sports Sciences, 29(sup1), S29-S38.

Clinical Guidelines: Institute of Medicine. (2005). Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

Sports Performance Research: Stokes T, Hector AJ, Morton RW, McGlory C, Phillips SM. (2018). “Recent perspectives regarding the role of dietary protein for the promotion of muscle hypertrophy with resistance exercise training.” Nutrients, 10(2), 180.