How much protein do men actually need?

Short answer: if you lift, about 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of bodyweight a day, which is roughly 0.7 to 1 gram per pound. If you don't, a bit less. Here's where those numbers come from and how to hit them.

The RDA is a floor, not a target

The official recommended intake is 0.8 g per kg of bodyweight. For a 200 lb (91 kg) man that's about 73 g a day. That number was set to prevent deficiency in sedentary adults. It was never meant to describe the intake that best supports building or keeping muscle.

What research on lifters shows

The most-cited analysis here pooled 49 resistance-training studies and found that extra protein stopped producing measurable extra muscle gain at around 1.6 g per kg per day. Because people vary, the authors suggested 2.2 g per kg as a reasonable upper end for anyone who wants to be sure they're covered.

The International Society of Sports Nutrition lands in a similar place, recommending 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg for most people who exercise.

When you need more

While losing fat

In a calorie deficit your body is more willing to break down muscle for energy. Higher protein, combined with lifting, is one of the most reliable ways to prevent that. Aim for the upper half of the range while cutting. Studies on lean athletes dieting hard have used even higher intakes, but for most guys 2.0 to 2.4 g per kg is plenty.

After 40

Older muscle responds less to a given dose of protein, a change researchers call anabolic resistance. The practical fix isn't a huge daily total; it's making each meal count. Getting 30 to 50 g at each of three or four meals works better than a small breakfast and a giant dinner.

When you need less than you think

If you're carrying a lot of extra weight, multiplying total bodyweight by 2.2 gives a number that's hard to eat and higher than you need, since fat tissue doesn't need protein to maintain. Base your target on your goal weight, or on a weight that puts you around a BMI of 27. Our calculators do this automatically.

Is high protein safe?

For men with healthy kidneys, intakes in these ranges haven't been shown to cause harm. If you have kidney disease, diabetes with kidney involvement, or have been told to limit protein, follow your doctor's guidance instead of any calculator.

Hitting your number without living on shakes

• Build each meal around a protein. Decide the chicken, beef, fish, eggs or tofu first, then add the rest.
• Learn a few anchors. 6 oz of cooked chicken breast is about 53 g. A cup of nonfat Greek yogurt is about 23 g. Three eggs are about 19 g. A can of tuna is about 26 g.
• Use dairy as snacks. Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are cheap, need no cooking, and pack 20+ g per serving.
• Keep one shake in reserve. One scoop of unflavored whey isolate is about 24 g and covers most shortfalls.