Protein Calculator
Daily protein target in grams, scaled to your body weight and goal.
Quick answer
- Formula: Daily protein (g) = body weight (kg) × g-per-kg factor (0.8 / 1.4 / 1.8 / 2.2 by goal)
- Worked example — Protein per day: 98 g (full example below).
Protein Calculator
| Protein per day | 98 g |
| Rate applied | 1.4 g/kg |
A 70 kg active adult at 1.4 g/kg needs about 98 g of protein per day.
Protein needs scale with body weight and training demand. The reference points used here are widely cited general guidelines: 0.8 g/kg is the standard recommended dietary allowance for sedentary adults, around 1.4 g/kg suits recreationally active people, about 1.8 g/kg supports muscle gain, and up to 2.2 g/kg is used by athletes in hard training or dieting phases.
These are population guidelines, not personalised medical advice — kidney conditions and other health issues can change appropriate intake, so check with a clinician if that applies to you.
The formula
Worked example
A 70 kg active adult at 1.4 g/kg needs about 98 g of protein per day.
The example is pre-loaded in the result panel — press Calculate with your own numbers to replace it.
Frequently asked questions
Is 0.8 g/kg enough?
It is the minimum to avoid deficiency for sedentary adults, not necessarily the optimum. Research on active people, older adults and dieters generally supports 1.2–2.2 g/kg depending on the goal.
Does eating more protein than this help?
Beyond roughly 2.2 g/kg, studies find little extra muscle benefit for most people — the extra protein is simply used for energy. Spreading intake across 3–4 meals helps use what you eat.
Should I use total or lean body weight?
These guidelines use total body weight. People with obesity often calculate from goal weight or lean mass instead, since fat tissue has low protein needs.
Category: Health & Fitness calculators
Sources & methodology
This calculator applies the formula shown on this page exactly as written, using the standard definitions for its inputs. Results are computed from the values you enter — no data is stored — and are rounded only for display.
Content last reviewed by CalcHub Editorial.
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