How much protein do you need? Here’s how to customize your optimal intake

Protein is having a bit of a time. From coffee chains adding protein to their lattes to food companies promoting protein cookies and snacks to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promoting steak instead of cake, the noise surrounding protein can make it difficult to know what you actually need.

Then, under the Kennedy administration, the federal government updated its dietary guidelines to recommend higher daily protein intakes than before.

However, nutritional science shows that protein is not a panacea. Your protein needs vary depending on several factors, including your activity level, age, and weight.

Put politics and marketing aside and learn how to personalize your optimal intake of this important nutrient.

Why do you need to take protein?

Our bodies rely on protein for everything from building and repairing muscle, to producing enzymes that help digest food, to producing antibodies that support immune function.

The body continues to use amino acids from food to break down old proteins and build new ones, says Stanford University scientist Rachel Podjednik.

“Proteins are the building blocks of skeletal muscle,” Pojedonic says. “When you ingest these amino acids, they are broken down and absorbed in your digestive tract, and then reassembled into all your tissues,” she explains.

Let’s start with weight

The new protein recommendation is to aim for 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day.

“I think that’s the ideal range,” Pojedonic said. “This is something that research has shown for quite some time.”

However, to determine how much to eat within that range, start by doing the math once based on your approximate weight.

The calculation is as follows: Get your weight in pounds and divide by 2.2 to get your weight in kilograms. Then, multiply your weight in kilograms by 1.2 or 1.6 (the upper limit of the recommended value). This will give you the recommended daily protein range in grams.

For example, someone who weighs 150 pounds should aim for at least 82 grams of protein per day, and as much as 109 grams.

One way to achieve that goal is with a breakfast of 1 cup of Greek yogurt (17 to 20 grams of protein) and nuts (4 to 5 grams). Lunch containing 1 cup (approximately 18 grams) of cooked lentils. Almond or hummus and vegetable snack (5 grams). And dinner is 4 ounces of chicken breast (about 35 grams).

Here are more suggestions for easy ways to add protein to your meals.

Consider your activity level

If you exercise regularly, you may want to increase your protein to the higher end of the recommended range.

Many weightlifters and competitive athletes have long been advised to eat more protein.

“Activity is one of the key factors in determining how much protein you need,” says Stuart Phillips, a researcher at McMaster University who studies skeletal muscle health.

Exercising puts stress on your body, which increases the use of protein in your muscles. “The more protein you eat, the more protein you take in and the more new muscle protein you make,” Phillips says, explaining that exercise “sensitizes” your muscles to protein, enhancing their ability to use amino acids for growth and repair.

Please consider your age

“People start losing muscle mass somewhere in their 30s or 40s, but they don’t realize it until they’re probably in their 50s or 60s, when all of a sudden they can’t do things anymore,” says Phillips.

Maybe you’ve noticed that it’s harder to lift your suitcase or carry your shopping bags. Both are signs that it’s time to take action. Phillips says this can come as a surprise to people, and to overcome it requires physical activity, especially strength training, as well as adequate protein intake within the range of 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight.

“Exercise slows muscle loss, and combining it with more protein may be even more effective,” he says.

Women tend to eat less protein and do less strength training than men. Prioritizing both can help prevent age-related frailty. However, there is one important caveat. Increasing protein alone will not build new muscle strength. Phillips emphasizes that it’s the combination that makes the difference.

Please choose your number

If you keep going, you’ll know what protein you need. Start by calculating a rough goal based on your body size, then set a personal goal based on your activity level and age.

Then look at what you’re actually eating and see how close you are to it. You can find protein levels in various foods in databases like this one from the USDA. Or try an app that tracks your macronutrients.

Animal and vegetable protein sources

When it comes to protein sources, both animal and plant foods can meet your body’s needs, says Pojedonic. “The literature clearly shows that you can get enough protein and all essential amino acids from a plant-based diet as well as from a diet that includes meat,” she says.

Of the approximately 20 amino acids that serve as building blocks for proteins in the body, nine are considered “essential,” meaning the body cannot produce them on its own. Animal products and meat typically provide sufficient amounts of all nine, and some plant sources such as soybeans (used to make tofu and tempeh) are also considered complete proteins and provide sufficient amounts of all nine.

Many plant foods alone do not provide enough of all the essential amino acids and are therefore considered incomplete proteins. But diversity can bridge that gap.

By “mixing up” your diet with a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and even beans and legumes, you “get all the amino acids you need,” Pojedonic says.

Can you get too much?

These are general recommendations. People with certain health conditions, especially those with chronic kidney disease, may be advised to reduce their protein intake. If you’re significantly increasing your protein intake, you may want to check with your health care provider to make sure you’re getting the right amount. Also, watch your saturated fat intake if you’re getting your protein from meat or dairy products. This is because it is recommended to limit saturated fat to less than 10% of your total daily calories.

Protein powders are convenient and may be a good option if you’re interested. However, most people get enough protein from a balanced diet without adding supplements.

And once you know the general range of proteins you’re targeting, you don’t have to think too much about it. Eat a variety of real foods in moderation and add resistance exercise.