How much protein do you need? Here’s how to personalize your desired consumption

Protein is having a moment. From coffee chains to food companies marketing protein cookies and snacks, to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tipping steak instead of cake, the noise surrounding protein can make it difficult to know what you really need.

And under Kennedy, the federal government updated the Dietary Guidelines to recommend higher amounts of daily protein than before.

But nutritional science makes it clear that protein is not one size fits all. Protein needs vary based on many factors including activity level, age and body weight.

So, here’s how to navigate politics and marketing, and personalize your optimal intake of these key nutrients.

Why do we need to eat protein?

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

The body is constantly breaking down old proteins and making new ones, using amino acids from food, says Stanford University scientist Rachel Pojidnik.

“Protein is the building block of skeletal muscle,” says Pojednic. “When you take these amino acids, they are broken down and absorbed in your GI tract and then accumulate in every tissue,” he explains.

Start with your body weight

So, here’s how to calculate your optimal consumption. Start with a one-time calculation based on your estimated weight:

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

“I think that’s the ideal range,” Pujednik says. “That’s what research has been showing for quite some time.”

Here’s the math: Take your weight in pounds and divide by 2.2 to get it in kilograms. Then take that weight and multiply it by 1.2 or 1.6 (the higher end of the recommendations). This gives you your daily recommended amount of protein in grams.

For example, a person who weighs 150 pounds should need at least 82 grams of protein per day, and up to 109 grams at the high end.

One way to reach this goal is: breakfast with a cup of Greek yogurt (17 to 20 grams) with nuts (4 to 5 grams); Lunch consisting of one cup (about 18 grams) of cooked lentils; One serving of almonds or hummus with vegetables (5 grams); and dinner with a 4-ounce chicken breast (about 35 grams).

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

Consider your activity level

If you exercise regularly, you may increase your protein intake 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 drivers of how much protein you need,” says Stuart Phillips, a McMaster University researcher who studies skeletal muscle health.

Exercise puts stress on the body which increases the amount of protein used by the muscles. “When you eat more protein, you can take in more, and make new muscle proteins,” says Phillips, explaining that exercise “sensitizes” the muscle to protein, increasing its ability to use amino acids for growth and repair.

Consider your age

“People start losing muscle mass in their 30s and 40s, and you probably don’t realize it until your 50s or 60s, when you suddenly can’t do one thing or another,” says Phillips.

Perhaps you notice that lifting your suitcase or carrying a bag of groceries is becoming more difficult, both signs that it may be time to take action. Phillips says that it can surprise people and before they need physical activity, especially strength training, as well as consuming enough protein, 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight.

“If you do an exercise that will reduce muscle loss, and then combine it with more protein, it will be more effective,” he says.

Women eat less protein and do less strength training than men. Prioritizing both can prevent age-related frailty. But there’s an important caveat: More protein alone won’t build new muscle strength. Phillips insists it’s the combination that makes the difference.

Decide on your number

If you follow, you will know what your protein needs are. Start with the math to figure out your target fitness based on your body size, and then personalize based on your activity level and age.

Then, look at what you’re actually eating and see how close you are. You can find the protein levels of various foods in databases such as this one from the United States Department of Agriculture. Or try an app to track macronutrients.

Animal versus vegetable protein sources

As for protein sources, Pojidnik says that both animal and plant foods can meet the body’s needs. “The literature clearly shows that you can get enough protein and all the essential amino acids from a plant-based diet, as well as a diet that includes meat,” he says.

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

Most plant foods simply do not provide all the essential amino acids, so they are considered incomplete proteins. But species can close the gap.

If you “mix and match” your diet with a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, as well as beans and legumes, you can get all the amino acids,” says Pujednik.

Can you get more?

These are recommendations for the general public and people with certain health conditions, especially those with chronic kidney disease, who may eat less protein. If you’re watching your protein intake, you may want to check with your healthcare provider to make sure you’re eating the right amount. And remember, if you get your protein from meat and dairy, watch your saturated fat intake, given that the recommendation is to limit saturated fat to less than 10% of total daily calories.

Protein powders can be convenient, so if they appeal to you, they can be a good choice. Yet most people get enough protein from a well-balanced diet without supplements.

And once you know the general protein range you’re aiming for, you don’t have to overthink it: eat lots of real food in reasonable portions, and add in some resistance exercise.