A Guide to Your Daily Intake: What Should Your Protein Goal Be Per Day?

October 29, 2025 •

4 min read

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for a healthy adult, but this is often considered a minimum requirement rather than an optimal one. To accurately determine what should your protein goal be per day, you must consider factors beyond this baseline, including your activity level, age, and specific health and fitness goals.

Quick Summary

This article explains how to determine personalized daily protein needs based on factors like body weight, activity level, and specific goals such as muscle gain or weight loss. It covers recommended intake levels for different populations and discusses the importance of protein timing and quality.

Key Points

RDA is the Minimum: The 0.8 g/kg of body weight RDA is the minimum to prevent deficiency, not the optimal amount for active individuals or specific goals.
Activity Level Dictates Needs: Sedentary individuals need less protein than active people and athletes, whose needs can range from 1.2 to over 2.0 g/kg of body weight.
Protein Aids Weight Loss: A higher protein intake (1.6-2.2 g/kg) helps increase satiety and preserve lean muscle mass during a caloric deficit.
Age Increases Requirements: Older adults require more protein (1.2-1.6 g/kg) to combat age-related muscle loss, or sarcopenia.
Distribution and Quality Matter: Spreading protein intake evenly throughout the day is more effective for muscle synthesis than large, infrequent doses. High-quality (complete) protein sources are also important.
Potential Risks of Excess: While moderate high-protein diets are generally safe for healthy individuals, excessive intake can strain the kidneys, particularly in those with pre-existing conditions.

Understanding the Baseline: The RDA

The most commonly cited recommendation for protein intake is the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), set at 0.8 grams per kilogram (or 0.36 grams per pound) of body weight for healthy adults. It's crucial to understand that the RDA is the minimum amount of protein required to prevent a deficiency, not the amount needed for optimal health, especially if you are physically active. For many people, a higher intake can offer significant benefits.

Tailoring Your Protein Goal to Your Lifestyle

Your individual protein needs can vary drastically based on several personal factors. A one-size-fits-all approach is insufficient for anyone with specific fitness objectives or lifestyle requirements. The following sections outline how different scenarios affect your daily protein target.

The Sedentary Adult

For individuals with a minimal level of physical activity, the RDA of 0.8 g/kg of body weight is typically sufficient for meeting basic nutritional requirements. However, even for those who are mostly sedentary, some experts suggest that consuming a slightly higher amount, closer to 1.0 g/kg, could be beneficial for maintaining overall health and muscle mass.

The Active Individual and Athlete

If you exercise regularly, your protein needs increase to support muscle repair and growth. For moderately active individuals and athletes, a daily intake of 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is often recommended. The specific range depends on the intensity and type of your training.

Endurance Athletes: Need protein for recovery and to help repair muscle damage from prolonged exercise. Guidelines suggest 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg/day.
Strength and Power Athletes: Require more protein to maximize muscle hypertrophy and strength gains, with recommendations often falling between 1.6 and 2.2 g/kg/day.

Protein for Weight Loss

When aiming for weight loss, protein plays a vital role. Consuming more protein helps increase satiety, which can reduce overall calorie intake by helping you feel fuller for longer. It also helps preserve lean body mass during a caloric deficit, ensuring that weight lost comes from fat rather than muscle. A daily intake of 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg of body weight is recommended for weight loss, with athletes and heavy exercisers on a cut potentially needing slightly more.

Special Populations: Older Adults, Pregnancy, and Lactation

Protein needs can change significantly during different life stages.

Older Adults: As people age, muscle mass naturally declines, a condition known as sarcopenia. Higher daily protein intake, around 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg of body weight, can help counteract this effect, improve muscle function, and enhance strength.
Pregnancy and Lactation: Protein needs increase significantly to support fetal development and milk production. During pregnancy, experts recommend 75 to 100 grams of protein daily, or 1.0 to 1.1 g/kg of body weight.

The Importance of Protein Quality and Timing

It's not just about the total grams of protein; the quality of your protein sources and how you distribute them throughout the day are also key to optimizing benefits.

Complete vs. Incomplete Proteins: Complete proteins contain all nine essential amino acids. Animal-based sources like meat, eggs, and dairy are complete, as are plant-based options such as soy, quinoa, and chia seeds. Most other plant proteins are incomplete and should be combined for a complete profile.
Spreading Intake: For maximizing muscle protein synthesis, spreading your protein intake evenly throughout the day, in doses of 20-40g per meal, is more effective than consuming a large amount in one sitting.

Risks and Considerations of High-Protein Diets

While higher protein intake is beneficial for many, excessive consumption can pose risks, especially for those with pre-existing conditions. Most healthy individuals can safely consume up to 2 g/kg of body weight daily without significant issues. However, intakes higher than this may lead to side effects. Individuals with kidney disease, for instance, must carefully monitor their protein intake under medical guidance. For the general population, the potential risks of consuming too much protein include:

Kidney Strain: The kidneys work harder to filter byproducts of protein metabolism.
Digestive Issues: High-protein diets that lack fiber from fruits and vegetables can lead to constipation.
Dehydration: Increased protein intake requires more water for metabolism, increasing the risk of dehydration if fluid intake isn't sufficient.
Nutrient Imbalance: Focusing too heavily on protein can displace other crucial nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Comparison of Protein Recommendations (for a 70kg / 154 lb person)


Category	Protein per kg	Daily Protein Goal	Key Considerations
Sedentary Adult	0.8 g/kg	Approx. 56 g	Minimum to prevent deficiency
Active Individual	1.2-1.6 g/kg	84-112 g	Supports training adaptation and recovery
Strength Athlete	1.6-2.2 g/kg	112-154 g	Maximizes muscle growth and repair
Weight Loss	1.6-2.2 g/kg	112-154 g	Helps preserve muscle mass and increases satiety
Older Adult	1.2-1.6 g/kg	84-112 g	Combats age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia)

Conclusion

Determining your optimal daily protein goal is a personalized process that considers your body weight, activity level, age, and specific health objectives. While the RDA provides a basic minimum, most individuals, particularly those who are active, looking to lose weight, or over 65, will benefit from a higher intake. Prioritizing high-quality protein and distributing it effectively throughout the day are crucial for maximizing its benefits. Always listen to your body and consider consulting a healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalized dietary advice, especially if you have existing health concerns.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: The Nutrition Source

Frequently Asked Questions

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for healthy, minimally active adults. This amount is considered the minimum to prevent deficiency.

For weight loss, a target of 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is often recommended. This range helps increase satiety and preserve lean muscle mass during a calorie deficit.

For building muscle, individuals engaged in regular strength training should aim for an intake between 1.6 and 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day.

Yes, while generally safe for healthy individuals up to 2.0 g/kg, excessive protein intake can cause issues like kidney strain, digestive problems, and dehydration. It can also displace other important nutrients.

Yes, older adults are often advised to increase their protein intake to 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg of body weight. This higher amount can help preserve muscle mass and function, counteracting age-related decline.

Yes, distributing your protein intake evenly throughout the day, typically in 20-40g servings every few hours, is more effective for stimulating muscle protein synthesis than eating it all at once.

Plant-based foods can provide all necessary amino acids, but many individual plant protein sources are 'incomplete.' By eating a variety of plant proteins, such as legumes, grains, and nuts, throughout the day, you can get a complete amino acid profile.