Protein Calculator
Determine daily protein requirements from body weight, activity and goal.
About Protein Calculator
Protein recommendations depend heavily on both what you're trying to achieve and how hard you train. The WHO minimum for sedentary adults is 0.8 g/kg, but research consistently shows this is insufficient for anyone exercising regularly. For muscle gain, Morton et al.'s 2018 meta-analysis of 49 randomised controlled trials found 1.62 g/kg sufficient to maximise lean mass gains, with higher intakes providing no additional benefit on average — though staying to the upper end insures against individual variation. During a calorie deficit, higher protein (1.8–2.2 g/kg) preserves lean mass and has a stronger satiety effect.
Formula
Daily protein target
Protein (g) = Body weight (kg) × Rate (g/kg)
- P
- Daily protein in grams
- W
- Body weight in kilograms
- r
- Recommended rate in g/kg based on activity and goal
Worked example
With the default values below, Protein Calculator returns Recommended Daily Protein of 105. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.
Inputs used
- Unitsone of Metric (kg), Imperial (lb)
- Metric (kg)
- Body Weight (kg)accepts 20–300 kg
- 75 kg
- Body Weight (lb)accepts 44–660 lb
- 165 lb
- Activity Levelone of Sedentary (no planned exercise), Light (1–2 days/week), Moderate (3–4 days/week), Very active (5–6 days/week), Athlete / twice-daily training
- Moderate (3–4 days/week)
- Primary Goalone of Lose fat, Maintain weight, Build muscle, Body recomposition
- Maintain weight
Results
- Recommended Daily Protein
- 105 g/day
- Minimum
- 90 g/day
- Maximum
- 120 g/day
- Range Lower Bound
- 1.20 g/kg
- Range Upper Bound
- 1.60 g/kg
Step by step
- 1Body weight= 75 kg
- 2Recommended range (g/kg)= 1.2–1.6 g/kg
- 3Daily protein range= 90–120 g
Assumptions and limits
- The result is derived only from the 5 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
- In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
- Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
- Protein recommendations are population-level estimates and vary with individual metabolism, training history, and health status. This is not medical or dietary advice. Consult a registered dietitian for personalised nutrition guidance.
- This is an estimate for general information and not professional medical advice. See the full disclaimer for the limits that apply to this kind of calculator.
How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.
Protein recommendations are population-level estimates and vary with individual metabolism, training history, and health status. This is not medical or dietary advice. Consult a registered dietitian for personalised nutrition guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I eat more protein to lose weight?
Yes — protein has the highest thermic effect of any macronutrient (20–30% of its calories are burned in digestion) and it's the most satiating macro. During a deficit, higher protein (1.8–2.2 g/kg) substantially reduces lean mass loss compared to lower intakes.
Can eating too much protein damage kidneys?
In healthy individuals, there's no evidence that high-protein diets (up to 3 g/kg) harm kidney function. This concern applies to people with pre-existing kidney disease — they should work with a nephrologist to set protein limits. The 2016 ISSN position stand concludes high protein is safe for healthy adults.
Does it matter when I eat protein?
Total daily intake matters most. That said, distributing protein across 3–5 meals of 20–40 g each maximises muscle protein synthesis per dose, since the anabolic response to a single sitting plateaus. Pre-sleep protein (30–40 g casein) is well-supported for overnight muscle repair.