How much protein do you really need?
Protein is the most argued-about number in nutrition and one of the better-evidenced. There is a range where more helps, a point where more stops helping, and a lot of noise either side of both.
Try it — your daily range
128 g / day
Lower bound · 1.6 g/kg — Where the benefit plateaus in the meta-analysis
152 g / day
Mid range · 1.9 g/kg — Comfortable working target for most lifters
176 g / day
Upper bound · 2.2 g/kg — Useful in an energy deficit; little evidence above
Roughly 30 g per meal across four meals. An estimate from published ranges, not a personalised target.
Where the number comes from
Benefits from extra protein plateau at around 1.6 g/kg/day.
A meta-analysis and meta-regression of 49 randomised controlled trials in resistance-trained and untrained adults found protein supplementation increased gains in muscle mass and strength, with a breakpoint in the data at about 1.6 g/kg/day — beyond which further intake produced no additional measurable benefit. The authors noted the upper confidence limit reached 2.2 g/kg/day.
Morton et al. · Br J Sports Med · 2018 · Systematic reviewPosition-stand guidance sits in the same range for exercising adults.
The International Society of Sports Nutrition's position stand recommends 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day for building and maintaining muscle in physically active people, with higher intakes potentially useful during energy restriction.
Jäger et al. · J Int Soc Sports Nutr · 2017 · Position standDoes it matter how you spread it?
Somewhat, and less dramatically than the 'anabolic window' era suggested. The practical recommendation from a review of per-meal protein use is roughly 0.4 g/kg per meal across a minimum of four meals to reach about 1.6 g/kg/day . The older claim that anything above 20–25 g per meal is wasted does not survive contact with mixed meals containing slower-digesting protein.
Two ways to hit 140 g
Spread across four meals (~35 g each)
Suits — Easy to digest, easy to repeat daily, matches the per-meal evidence
Costs — Requires protein at breakfast, which many people skip
Two large meals (~70 g each)
Suits — Fits a compressed eating window or a busy day
Costs — Less aligned with the distribution evidence; harder to eat comfortably
What changes if you also run
Endurance training raises protein needs modestly — the tissue still has to be repaired — but it raises carbohydrate needs far more sharply. The common failure mode in runners who also lift is not too little protein: it is too little total energy, which makes protein an expensive fuel rather than a building material.
Sustained low energy availability degrades adaptation, bone health and hormonal function regardless of how good the protein number looks . Carbohydrate availability should be matched to the demands of the session rather than kept flat across the week .
Practical ways to get there
- Anchor each meal with a protein source before deciding what else goes on the plate.
- Put 25–40 g at breakfast if you currently eat none — that is usually the biggest single gap.
- Use whole foods first; supplements are a convenience, and the meta-analysis found no requirement for a particular source .
- Track for a week rather than forever — most people only need to learn what their normal day contains.
- Do not cut carbohydrate to make room for protein on a hard training day .
Why your number is not someone else's
Bodyweight is the starting point, but the sensible target moves with training volume, whether you are in an energy deficit, how much of your week is running versus lifting, your age, and how much lean mass you are carrying. A 95 kg lifter in a deficit and a 58 kg runner in base training are not solving the same problem with the same ratio.
How CALIBR handles it
CALIBR sets protein from your bodyweight and goal, then moves energy and carbohydrate with the week you are actually about to train — a long run day and a rest day are not given the same targets. Where a recommendation comes from a published position stand rather than your own data, it says so.
Key takeaways
- 1.6 g/kg/day covers most people training for muscle; up to 2.2 g/kg is a defensible upper bound.
- Extra protein above that range has not been shown to add much.
- Spread it across roughly four meals at about 0.4 g/kg each.
- Total energy matters more than protein precision, especially if you run.
- Timing details are the last thing to optimise, not the first.
Common questions
References
- [1]A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strengthMorton et al. · Br J Sports Med · 2018 · Systematic review
- [2]International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exerciseJäger et al. · J Int Soc Sports Nutr · 2017 · Position stand
- [3]How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distributionSchoenfeld & Aragon · J Int Soc Sports Nutr · 2018 · Peer-reviewed research
- [4]2023 IOC consensus statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs)International Olympic Committee · Br J Sports Med · 2023 · Consensus statement
- [5]IAAF consensus statement 2019: nutrition for athleticsWorld Athletics (IAAF) · Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab · 2019 · Consensus statement
- [6]Sports nutrition resources — fuelling, energy availability and supplementsAustralian Institute of Sport · 2025 · Professional guidance