Free calculator
Protein calculator
How many grams of protein you need per day, as a range rather than a false-precision single number. Body weight is the only input that matters much.
Your starting point
Daily protein range
- Protein
- 127g
- Fat
- 76g
- Carbs
- 384g
- Estimated maintenance
- 2,728 kcal
- Estimated resting needs
- 1,760 kcal
- Daily adjustment
- 0%
Treat this as a starting estimate. Track your average body weight for 2 to 3 weeks, then adjust calories in small steps if your trend does not match your goal.
How it works
A range, because that is what the research gives.
The low end of the range is 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight. A 2018 meta-analysis pooling 49 studies and 1,863 people found that lean-mass gains from resistance training stopped increasing beyond roughly that intake.
The high end is 2.2 g/kg, the upper bound of the confidence interval from the same analysis. Eating toward it makes sense in a calorie deficit, where protein helps hold muscle, or if you simply find it easier to feel full.
The calculator uses total body weight. If you carry a lot of body fat, the low end of the range is plenty; the muscle you are feeding is the same either way. The other fields on the form set the calorie and activity context but do not change the protein figure.
Sources and limitations
- 1. Morton RW 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.
- 2. Helms ER et al. Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation.
- 3. Jäger R et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise.
This calculator is for generally healthy adults ages 19 to 78. It is not medical advice and is not intended for pregnancy, breastfeeding, eating disorders, or medical nutrition therapy. Predictive equations can differ from measured energy needs by several hundred calories. For a dynamic weight-change model, see the NIH Body Weight Planner or speak with a registered dietitian.
Protein FAQ
How much protein do I need to build muscle?
About 1.6 g per kilogram of body weight per day, spread over the day, is where the research shows gains level off. Going up to 2.2 g/kg is not harmful for healthy adults and may help in a deficit.
Is 1 gram per pound of body weight necessary?
That is 2.2 g/kg, the top of the range. It is a fine target if you like eating that much, but the evidence does not show it beats 1.6 g/kg for muscle growth.
Does it matter when I eat protein?
Total daily intake matters most. Spreading it across three or four meals of 25 to 40 grams is a sensible default, but hitting the daily number is the part that moves results.
Want the fat and carbohydrate numbers too? Use the macro calculator. Want to know how many calories go with it? The TDEE calculator.
No trial. No asterisk.
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