The amount of protein you should eat daily depends on several factors such as your age, weight, activity level, and overall health. Here are the general guidelines:
- For an average sedentary adult, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (or 0.36 grams per pound). For example, a person weighing 70 kg (154 lbs) should consume about 56 grams of protein daily to meet basic nutritional needs.
- Protein intake should make up 10% to 35% of your daily calories.
- For adults aged 40-50 and older, protein needs typically increase to about 1 to 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight to help prevent muscle loss with aging.
- If you are physically active or aiming to build muscle, protein requirements are higher, generally about 1.1 to 1.7 grams per kilogram , depending on the intensity and type of exercise.
- Protein intake exceeding 2 grams per kilogram is usually unnecessary and can potentially cause health issues if sustained long term.
To give a concrete example, a sedentary adult weighing 75 kg (165 lbs) should consume around 60 grams of protein daily. If they regularly exercise or want to build muscle, increasing intake to between 83 and 128 grams per day may be beneficial.
In summary, calculate your protein needs primarily by multiplying your weight in kilograms by the appropriate protein factor based on your lifestyle:
- Sedentary: 0.8 g/kg
- Active/lifting weights: 1.1–1.7 g/kg
- Older adults: 1.0–1.2 g/kg
This approach helps tailor protein intake to your personal needs.
