How Much Protein Do You Need - Really?

There are a plethora of diets to choose from, and each highlights a different protein need. At one end of the spectrum, we have certain plant-based folks arguing that you don’t actually need as much protein as the average American gets. At the other end of the spectrum, people on the carnivore diet advocate for consuming protein exclusively. 

Who should you listen to? The reality is that many of these diets focus on extremes that aren’t necessarily applicable or attainable for most people. While each diet has its own benefits, few provide useful guidance for how much protein you really need to reach your health and aesthetic goals. Here’s what nutritional science has to say on the topic. 

Why is Protein Important?

Protein is one of the three macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. These are the nutrients that we need to survive and eat in large quantities (as opposed to micronutrients, like vitamins and minerals.) 

In the body, protein acts as a building block. The protein you consume helps shape your muscles, organs, tendons, and skin, among other things. Protein is made up of amino acids. While the body produces some amino acids, there are some you must get via your diet. By eating protein that contains these essential amino acids, you support healthy bodily function.

Aside from regular function, protein can also help you reach your physique goals. Research shows that consuming enough protein aids in weight loss or maintenance by promoting satiety, which makes you feel satisfied and reduces your appetite. 

It also boosts your metabolic rate, helping you burn more calories than carbohydrates or fats. In fact, getting 25 to 30% of your total calories per day from protein is linked with burning 80 to 100 more calories per day than diets lower in protein. 

Protein consumption is key for building muscle. Muscles are mostly made of protein. When you exercise, you create tiny tears in your muscles. Then, your muscles get bigger when your body repairs and rebuilds those tears. To do so, the body needs to synthesize more protein than the amount that it broke down during exercise. Put simply, you need to eat more protein than your body breaks down to build muscle.

Even if you don’t want to gain muscle, protein intake is important. That’s because maintaining muscle while losing body fat ensures a lean, shapely body. If you aren’t getting sufficient protein, you may lose both. And, if you’re losing muscle, you can slow your metabolism, burn fewer calories, and potentially get the infamous “skinny fat” appearance. By increasing your protein intake during weight loss, you can prevent muscle loss that often occurs while dieting.

National Guidelines for Protein

There are several macronutrient guidelines from credible, scientific sources that you can use to determine how much protein you should eat. The Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR) are guidelines set by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. They provide a healthy range for adults for all three macronutrients:

• Protein: 10 to 35% of daily calories

• Carbohydrates: 45 to 65% of daily calories

• Fats: 20 to 35% of daily calories

So, how does that translate to real-life numbers? The math is simple: just multiply daily calories by your desired macronutrient percentage. Let’s say you consume 2,000 calories per day and want 20% of your calories to come from protein. That comes out to 400 calories from protein. Since protein is 4 calories per gram, that works out to 100 grams total. 

However, anywhere from 200 calories (50 grams) to 700 calories (175 grams) would be within the 10 to 35% AMDR guideline. That’s a big difference!

Another national guideline is the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), set by the US Food and Nutrition Board. It sets the minimum amount of protein at 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound of body weight. To do the math, simply multiply your weight by 0.36. That works out to 54 grams of protein each day for a 150-pound person.

Is More Protein Better?

You might be surprised by how low these recommendations are. 10% of your total daily calories or 0.36 grams per pound of body weight is a minimal amount of protein. The majority of Americans eat far more protein than this without even trying. 

In fact, the average adult eats about 16% of their total daily calories from protein. Even those who don’t eat animal products can easily surpass these numbers by consuming enough dairy, eggs, beans, tofu, protein powders, and meat alternatives. 

What isn’t often discussed in regard to these guidelines is that they were developed with the goal of survival. These numbers represent the bare minimum amount of protein your body needs to function as a sedentary person. 

They ensure that you operate at the most basic level - but they don’t help you thrive. If you’re somewhat active, have a weight loss goal, have a desire to build muscle, or just want to feel satiated after your meals, you’ll need to eat more protein. 

How Much Protein is Enough?

There is clear evidence that eating more protein than the minimum requirement can support a healthy body and lifestyle. Several nutritional associations have put forth recommendations based on the research, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). These recommendations are specifically created for people who exercise consistently, but may still be useful even if you are more sedentary.

These organizations recommend:

• Strength training individuals: 2 to 4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.64 to 0.91 grams per pound). 

• Endurance training individuals: 1.4 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.55 to 0.64 grams per pound). For reference, endurance training is defined as more than 10 hours each week of endurance training. 

Let’s put this into a real-world context: say you weigh 150 pounds. If you consistently participate in strength training, you’d need 96 to 136.5 grams of protein each day. If you’re an endurance athlete, you’d need 82.5 to 96 grams of protein per day.

It’s also important to note that experts in the fitness community sometimes recommend 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, which is more than the upper threshold recommended above. There is some evidence that the body won’t absorb all of that protein. Some studies suggest that the body cannot synthesize that much in one day. 

However, there are other studies of bodybuilders who ate up to 1.27 grams of protein per pound of body weight and were still able to absorb and synthesize the protein without any health issues. It’s likely that these super high levels of protein are best for expert-level fitness professionals, like completing bodybuilders, and are not applicable to most people.

Ultimately, the right amount of protein for you depends on your weight, activity level, and goals. There’s no one-size-fits-all number. If you’re currently consuming a lower amount of protein, slowly build up your intake until you’re within the ranges described above. Spend time at this level to see how your body reacts, then go from there.