0.8 grams? 1.6 grams? Or 2 grams per kilogram of body weight after all? Hardly any nutrition question is asked so often and answered so differently as the one about the right amount of protein. The good news: the science is remarkably clear — you just have to sort the numbers by goal and life situation. Here you get the concrete values, a sample calculation and the foods you can use to cover your needs without being forced to reach for powder.
Why protein is more than muscle fuel
Protein supplies the building blocks for muscle, bone, skin, enzymes, hormones and immune cells. Your body is constantly breaking protein down and building it back up — protein synthesis runs around the clock. What's more: of all the macronutrients, protein is the most satiating and costs the body the most energy to digest. That's exactly why it plays the leading role in almost every nutrition strategy — from building muscle to losing weight.
The numbers: how much protein you really need
- Official minimum recommendation: 0.8 g/kg per day. This value prevents a deficiency in inactive people — it's a minimum, not an optimum.
- Sport and fitness: 1.3 to 1.8 g/kg. If you train regularly, you repair and build more tissue — and need correspondingly more raw material. This range applies regardless of the sport: strength and endurance sports differ less here than many people assume.
- Targeted muscle building: around 1.5 g/kg (within the same range of 1.3 to 1.8), spread across three to four meals. Important: a protein intake beyond that brings no additional benefit — and if it raises your total energy intake substantially, the surplus ends up as body fat. In any case, the most important factor for building muscle is not protein but a sufficiently high total energy intake.
- Losing weight in a calorie deficit: 1.8 to 2.7 g/kg. When energy intake is low, protein requirements rise considerably — that is the only way to preserve muscle, and building muscle is still possible even in a deficit. Our calorie deficit guide shows you how to set your deficit correctly.
- From the age of 65: at least 1.0 g/kg. The older body responds less strongly to protein ("anabolic resistance"), which is why the general recommendation from 65 onwards is higher than the 0.8 g/kg for younger adults. If you also train in older age, use the sport range of 1.3 to 1.8 g/kg as your guide. Our article on frailty explains why this is so decisive.
The reference is generally body weight — if you're significantly overweight, it's better to calculate with your target weight rather than your current weight.
Sample calculation: 70 kilograms, 3 training sessions per week
Goal muscle building, factor 1.5 g/kg: 70 × 1.5 = 105 g of protein per day. Spread over four meals that's around 26 g per meal — for example quark with berries in the morning, a lentil bowl at midday, a yoghurt snack and fish with potatoes in the evening. Not an extreme program, but a planned one.
Distribution and timing: what really counts
Per meal, roughly 0.3 g per kilogram of body weight is the guideline — so about 20 to 25 g at 70 kilograms. Larger portions aren't wasted, but they work less efficiently. In practice that means: three to four protein-containing meals across the day beat one giant portion in the evening. That applies to building muscle — if your main goal is losing weight, a higher meal frequency is no advantage; longer gaps, especially overnight, can even support fat burning. And the timing after training is not arbitrary: if no main meal follows within about 60 minutes, a recovery meal belongs in the plan — it supports recovery and the immune system. If you want to know more about the building blocks, you'll find the differences in our article amino acids, BCAAs or protein.
The best protein sources
Animal
- Low-fat quark (12 g per 100 g), skyr, Greek yoghurt
- Chicken and turkey breast (22 to 24 g per 100 g)
- Fish such as salmon or trout (20 g per 100 g)
- Eggs (7 g each) and cottage cheese
Plant-based
- Lentils, chickpeas, beans (7 to 9 g per 100 g cooked)
- Tofu and tempeh (12 to 19 g per 100 g)
- Oats, quinoa, wholegrains (10 to 14 g per 100 g dry)
- Nuts and seeds as a supplement
Plant sources sometimes supply fewer essential amino acids per portion — but with a smart combination your needs are easy to cover, as our article on vegan sports nutrition shows. What separates good sources from mediocre ones is explained in our article on protein quality.
Protein powder? A practical tool on the go and after training — but a supplement, not a must. If you plan your meals (keyword meal prep), you'll usually reach your target amount with normal food.
Can too much protein be harmful?
For healthy people the answer is: intakes of up to and beyond 2 g/kg are well studied and harmless — "protein damages the kidneys" does not apply to people with healthy kidneys. If you have an existing kidney condition, discuss your protein intake with your doctor. The actual "harm" of too much protein is usually more mundane: it crowds out other important foods — vegetables, fruit and wholegrains still belong on your plate.
Course tip from update Akademie: Do you want to answer nutrition questions like these not just for yourself, but professionally for athletes and clients? The Sporternährungscoach programme at update Akademie combines nutritional science with training practice — part-time alongside your job and recognized throughout Switzerland.
Frequently asked questions about protein requirements
How much protein per day for weight loss?
1.8 to 2.7 g/kg — the bigger the calorie deficit, the more important the higher amount. Protein protects your muscle and dampens hunger.
How much protein can the body absorb per meal?
It can absorb practically everything; for the maximum muscle-building stimulus, around 0.3 g per kilogram of body weight is ideal — so about 20 to 25 g at 70 kilograms. So: spread the daily amount over three to four meals.
Do I need protein shakes?
No — they're convenient, but replaceable. What counts is your daily balance from normal foods; the shake is the shortcut for hectic days.
Do these requirements apply to vegetarians and vegans too?
Yes, tending towards a small addition (around 10 to 20 percent), because plant protein is used slightly less efficiently. With pulses, soy products and wholegrains, that's easy to manage.
Conclusion
Your protein requirement isn't a matter of belief but a calculation: 0.8 g/kg is the minimum for inactive people, 1.3 to 1.8 g/kg the range for everyone who trains regularly — and in a calorie deficit it rises to 1.8 to 2.7 g/kg. Spread the amount across three to four meals, rely on real food, and treat powder as what it is: a practical extra.
