How much protein per day?

The honest answer is a range, not a number — and the range is wide because the studies behind it are.

A band from 1.6 g/kg to 2.2 g/kg on a scale of 0.8 to 3 1.6–2.2 g/kg 0.8 g/kg 1.6 g/kg 2.2 g/kg 3 g/kg
Commonly cited daily protein targets for people training, per kilogram of bodyweight. Above roughly 2.2 g/kg the added benefit in the literature is small.

The ranges people actually use

For building or keeping muscle while training, commonly cited targets sit around 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg of bodyweight per day. Above roughly 2.2 g/kg, the added benefit in the literature is small.

In a calorie deficit, the higher end of that range makes more sense: protein protects muscle when energy is short, and it is the most satiating of the three macronutrients.

If you are not training, general health recommendations are considerably lower — the numbers above are for people lifting or running regularly.

Why the range is so wide

Training age, total calories, protein quality and how the day is distributed all move the answer, and studies differ on all four. A single number would be a false precision.

It is also a diminishing return, not a cliff. Someone hitting 1.4 g/kg consistently is in a far better position than someone aiming for 2.2 and averaging 1.0.

Hitting it without weighing everything

Anchor each meal with a protein source first and build the rest around it.

Learn three or four staples by heart — a chicken breast, a tin of tuna, a scoop of whey, a pot of Greek yoghurt — and you can estimate most days without a scale.

Log the protein even on days you do not log the rest. It is the macro worth tracking if you only track one.

Questions

How much protein to build muscle?

Commonly cited ranges are about 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg of bodyweight daily, alongside progressive resistance training. Consistency matters more than the exact figure.

Is too much protein bad for you?

In healthy people, high intakes have not been shown to harm kidney function. Existing kidney disease is a different situation and needs medical advice.

Does protein timing matter?

Far less than total daily intake. Spreading it across three or four meals is sensible; the anxiety about a post-workout window is largely misplaced.

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