How Much Protein Do You Need per Day? By Weight, Goal and Age
Most adults need 0.38g/lb (0.83g/kg) of body weight as a baseline, 0.54g/lb (1.2g/kg) when losing weight and 0.73g/lb (1.6g/kg) when building muscle. See your daily grams by body weight, and what changes after 65 or on a GLP-1.
The short answer: a healthy adult needs about 0.38g/lb (0.83g/kg) of body weight per day to cover basic needs. That rises to 0.54g/lb (1.2g/kg) when you are losing weight, 0.73g/lb (1.6g/kg) when you are building muscle or strength training, and 0.45g/lb (1.0g/kg) after 65.
For a 160lb person, that is 60g a day for general health, 87g while losing weight and 116g while building muscle.
Find your weight below, or put your details into the protein calculator for an exact number.
Daily Protein by Body Weight
| Body weight | General health (0.83g/kg) | Age 65 or over (1.0g/kg) | Losing weight (1.2g/kg) | Building muscle (1.6g/kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120lb (54kg) | 45g | 54g | 65g | 87g |
| 140lb (64kg) | 53g | 64g | 76g | 102g |
| 160lb (73kg) | 60g | 73g | 87g | 116g |
| 180lb (82kg) | 68g | 82g | 98g | 131g |
| 200lb (91kg) | 75g | 91g | 109g | 145g |
| 220lb (100kg) | 83g | 100g | 120g | 160g |
| 240lb (109kg) | 90g | 109g | 131g | 174g |
| 260lb (118kg) | 98g | 118g | 142g | 189g |
| 280lb (127kg) | 105g | 127g | 152g | 203g |
| 300lb (136kg) | 113g | 136g | 163g | 218g |
These are daily targets based on your current body weight. If you have a lot of weight to lose, the protein calculator and your doctor or dietitian can help you settle on a sensible number.
Which Number Applies to You
Work through these in order. If more than one applies, use the highest.
- Start with your goal. General health is 0.38g/lb (0.83g/kg), losing weight is 0.54g/lb (1.2g/kg), building muscle is 0.73g/lb (1.6g/kg).
- Age 65 or over: general health moves up to 0.45g/lb (1.0g/kg).
- Strength training two or more times a week: use at least 0.73g/lb (1.6g/kg), whatever your goal.
- On a GLP-1 medication (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound): use at least 0.54g/lb (1.2g/kg). This is a minimum, so it never lowers a higher target.
This is the same logic the protein calculator and the Protein Pal app use to set your daily goal.
General Health: 0.38g/lb (0.83g/kg)
The World Health Organization puts the safe protein intake for healthy adults at 0.83g/kg per day WHO/FAO/UNU, 2007. The US Recommended Dietary Allowance is very close at 0.8g/kg Institute of Medicine, Dietary Reference Intakes.
These numbers are set to cover the needs of nearly everyone in a healthy population. They are a minimum for avoiding deficiency, not a target for changing your body. For a 150lb adult, 0.38g/lb (0.83g/kg) works out to 56g a day.
Losing Weight: 0.54g/lb (1.2g/kg)
When you eat fewer calories than you burn, your body breaks down some muscle along with fat. Eating more protein reduces that loss and helps with fullness. A review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition supports 1.2 to 1.6g/kg per day during weight loss Leidy et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015.
0.54g/lb (1.2g/kg) is a solid starting point. If you lift weights while dieting, go to 0.73g/lb (1.6g/kg). Our guide to protein for weight loss covers how to fit this into a calorie budget.
Building Muscle: 0.73g/lb (1.6g/kg)
A meta-analysis of 49 trials found that gains in muscle from resistance training level off at about 1.6g/kg per day Morton et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018. Some people keep benefiting up to about 2.2g/kg (1g/lb) Schoenfeld and Aragon, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2018.
For most people, 0.73g/lb (1.6g/kg) is the number to hit consistently. More detail is in how much protein to build muscle.
Age 65 or Over: 0.45g/lb (1.0g/kg)
Muscle mass declines with age, and older muscle responds less to the same amount of protein. Expert groups recommend at least 1.0 to 1.2g/kg per day for healthy older adults, and more for those who are ill or frail Bauer et al., PROT-AGE Study Group, JAMDA, 2013, Deutz et al., ESPEN, Clinical Nutrition, 2014.
If you are over 65 and also strength training, use 0.73g/lb (1.6g/kg). If a shake helps you get there, see our best protein powder for seniors ranking.
On a GLP-1 Medication: At Least 0.54g/lb (1.2g/kg)
GLP-1 medications cut appetite so much that protein is easy to miss, and a meaningful share of the weight lost can be muscle. Clinical guidance recommends at least 1.2g/kg per day during treatment Sievenpiper et al., Obesity Pillars, 2025, Mozaffarian et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2025.
That minimum never lowers a goal. If you are building muscle on a GLP-1, your target stays at 0.73g/lb (1.6g/kg). See how much protein on Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro for more.
Women, Pregnancy and Menopause
Women and men have the same needs per pound of body weight. Women usually weigh less, so the daily total in grams is usually lower.
Needs go up during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The US RDA rises to 1.1g/kg during pregnancy and 1.3g/kg while breastfeeding Institute of Medicine, Dietary Reference Intakes. Check your target with your midwife or doctor.
During perimenopause and menopause, strength training plus at least 0.54g/lb (1.2g/kg) is a sensible way to protect muscle. Our guide to protein after 50, menopause and GLP-1 goes deeper.
What a Day of Protein Looks Like
Here is 87g, the weight loss target for a 160lb person, from everyday foods (USDA values):
| Meal | Food | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt | 25g |
| Lunch | 2 large eggs and 1oz cheddar | 19g |
| Dinner | 4oz cooked chicken breast | 35g |
| Snack | 1 cup 1% milk | 8g |
| Total | 87g |
Spread across three or four meals, most targets are easier to reach than they look. Aim for roughly 25 to 40g per meal. Your body can use more than that at once, as we cover in how much protein you can absorb per meal.
For breakfast ideas with real gram counts, see high protein breakfast ideas.
Can You Eat Too Much Protein?
For healthy adults with normal kidney function, studies of high intakes (well above 2.2g/kg per day) have not found harm Antonio et al., Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2016. If you have kidney disease or reduced kidney function, talk to your doctor before raising your intake.
Track It
Knowing your number is the easy part. Hitting it day after day is where most people fall short.
Protein Pal sets your daily goal using the rules above and shows how close you are after every meal. It is free to download, and manual logging is free. Photo scanning is part of Pro. It is available on iPhone and Android.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much protein do I need per day?
- Most healthy adults need about 0.38g/lb (0.83g/kg) of body weight per day. That is 0.54g/lb (1.2g/kg) when losing weight, 0.73g/lb (1.6g/kg) when building muscle or strength training, and 0.45g/lb (1.0g/kg) for adults 65 or over.
- How much protein do I need per day to lose weight?
- About 0.54g/lb (1.2g/kg) of body weight per day, or 0.73g/lb (1.6g/kg) if you also strength train. For a 180lb person that is 98g, or 131g with strength training.
- How much protein do I need per day to build muscle?
- About 0.73g/lb (1.6g/kg) of body weight per day. Research shows muscle gains from training level off around that point, with some people benefiting up to about 2.2g/kg. For a 180lb person, 1.6g/kg is 131g a day.
- Is 100g of protein a day enough?
- It depends on your weight and goal. 100g covers the weight loss target (1.2g/kg) for someone up to about 183lb, and the muscle building target (1.6g/kg) for someone up to about 137lb.
- Do older adults need more protein?
- Yes. Expert groups recommend at least 1.0 to 1.2g/kg per day for healthy adults over 65, compared with 0.83g/kg for younger adults, to help limit age-related muscle loss.
- How much protein should I eat on Ozempic or another GLP-1?
- At least 0.54g/lb (1.2g/kg) of body weight per day. That is a minimum: if your goal is building muscle, aim for 0.73g/lb (1.6g/kg).
- Should I use my current weight or goal weight?
- Most guidance is based on current body weight. If you have a lot of weight to lose, a target based on current weight can be very high, so a doctor or dietitian may suggest using an adjusted or goal weight instead.