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Zuletzt aktualisiert am 29.04.2026
Proteins are currently a hot topic and are experiencing a real hype – protein-rich foods and protein powders are more popular than ever before.
While some can never get enough protein and follow one protein shake after another, others shake their heads at precisely these people. Opinions on the topic “How much protein per day?” Opinions vary widely, and often you don't know what to believe anymore. Luckily, there's science, which provides us with reliable, study-based information on this topic. And (luckily again) there's us, Vetain. Because we give you answers to the most important questions, presented in a clear and engaging way.
Minor spoiler alert: It's not as simple as you might think. Protein requirements are highly individual and not a fixed quantity.
Your knowledge to go: How much protein per day?
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Protein requirements are individual and depend on many different factors such as body weight or activity level.
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For the general population, a recommendation of 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight applies, which is about 48 g for a person weighing 60 kg.
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However, different values apply to other groups such as athletes, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and older people.
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Proteins can be obtained through foods such as legumes, but products such as protein shakes can also be a convenient supplement.
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How much protein per day: (Your) overview
When searching for information on how much protein per day is advisable, one often doesn't get a definitive answer, but only vague statements. How much protein per kg of body weight is needed. Great – now we have to do calculations to find out how much protein we need per day?! Why is it so complicated?
Well, the Protein requirements depends on many different factors:
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Old
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body weight
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Activity level
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Goals
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…
This shows why the answer to the questions "How much protein per day should a man consume?" or "How much protein per day for muscle building?" can't be a simple number. Instead, there are guidelines for different groups (such as physically active people, older adults, etc.) indicating how much protein per kilogram of body weight is needed. This allows you to calculate your daily protein requirement yourself. The aim is to take as many influencing factors as possible into account and determine the required amount of protein as accurately as possible. Sometimes, however, you don't want to do advanced math; you just want a clear answer. And that's exactly what we're here for!
Ready? Great! Now let's look at different population groups and find out how many grams of protein they need per day. Don't worry, you can put your calculator away. You don't have to do anything – I'll do it for you. Let's get started!
General population
The general population includes everyone healthy 19-64 year olds, who do not do an exceptional amount of sport.The recommended guideline for daily protein intake is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. How much protein is needed for an 80 kg person? That's right, 64 g!
Let's look at this for different weight classes:
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40 kg → 32 g
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50 kg → 40 g
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60 kg → 48 g
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70 kg → 56 g
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80 kg → 64 g
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90 kg → 72 g
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100 kg → 80 g
The likelihood that you weigh EXACTLY 60 or 70 kg and can directly determine your needs from this is very low, I know. But creating a list with all possible weights would be absolutely insane. Hence this overview – it gives you an initial estimate of your ideal protein intake.
Active sports
All those more than 5 hours of sport Those who train a lot per week have an increased protein requirement. How much exactly? That's difficult to say! Especially among physically active people, there are many different opinions on how much protein is needed per day for strength training or bodybuilding.
We base our approach here on the guidelines of renowned professional societies:
Currently, recommendations for physically active individuals range from 1.2 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. This range is due to the fact that the exact requirement varies depending on factors such as training intensity, fitness level, and goals. Different values apply to elite athletes.
Let's take a look: How much protein per day is needed for muscle growth?
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40 kg → 48–80 g
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50 kg → 60–100 g
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60 kg → 72–120 g
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70 kg → 84–140 g
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80 kg → 96–160 g
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90 kg → 108–180 g
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100 kg → 120–200 g
Now I understand why so many people at the gym drink one protein shake after another. With a daily protein requirement of 100 grams, or even more than 120 grams, shakes can be a really practical addition to one's diet.
Older people aged 65 and over
Away 65 years Protein requirements increase! Currently, the estimated requirement is around 1 g/kg. However, this is only a rough estimate: since the over-65 age group varies greatly in terms of health, activity level, and other factors, it's difficult to determine a value that works for everyone. Let's take a look at the average recommended daily protein intake.
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40 kg → 40 g
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50 kg → 50 g
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60 kg → 60 g
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70 kg → 70 g
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80 kg → 80 g
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90 kg → 90 g
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100 kg → 100 g
So feel free to invite your parents and grandparents on a trip sometime Protein bars a!
Women
Yes, women are part of the general population – no question! However, pregnancy and breastfeeding place special demands on the body, and therefore the amount of protein required also changes. The question "How much protein per day does a woman need?" cannot simply be answered. We need to take a closer look at the different groups.
How much protein per day should a pregnant woman consume?
For pregnancy, there is fairly precise knowledge about how many grams of protein are needed per day. While in 1.Trimester While the protein requirement remains at 0.8 g per kg of body weight, the requirement increases in the 2nd trimester to 0.9 g/kg and in 3rd trimester even down to 1 g/kg body weight.
We have therefore divided our overview as follows: 1st trimester | 2nd trimester | 3rd trimester
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40 kg → 32 g | 36 g | 40 g
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50 kg → 40 g | 45 g | 50 g
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60 kg → 48 g | 54 g | 60 g
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70 kg → 56 g | 63 g | 70 g
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80 kg → 64 g | 72 g | 80 g
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90 kg → 72 g | 81 g | 90 g
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100kg → 80g | 90g | 100g
The amount of protein therefore increases by a total of [amount] during the course of pregnancy. 25% to!
And how many grams of protein per day during breastfeeding?
During breastfeeding, the protein requirement is 1.2 g per kg of body weight – based on the mother's weight, of course!
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40 kg → 48 g
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50 kg → 60 g
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60 kg → 72 g
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70 kg → 84 g
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80 kg → 96 g
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90 kg → 108 g
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100 kg → 120 g
Overweight
There are also special considerations for overweight individuals! While their daily protein requirement is also 0.8 g per kg of body weight, it is not based on their current weight, but rather on their weight. Ideal weight Based on BMI, you can determine your ideal height by essentially working backward using a BMI calculator. Since this is quite complex and depends on factors like age and height, we unfortunately cannot provide a comprehensive overview here.
By the way: In case you're wondering, How much protein per day for weight loss Regarding the recommendation, I have bad news for you: It's not that simple. Some people increase their protein intake when trying to lose weight, while others do well with the standard protein intake of 0.8g per kg. Ultimately, however, the most important thing is that you reduce your calorie intake. But that, too, is a very vague statement and isn't the focus here.
Okay, done. Now we can roughly estimate how much protein is needed per day. The problem is: 60g of protein doesn't tell me much! So how much is that in food?
How can I meet my protein needs?
Here's an example of how you can easily meet a protein requirement of 60g:
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Breakfast: Baked Oats with approximately 20g of protein
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Lunch: Indian Dal with approximately 15g of protein (legumes such as lentils are excellent plant-based protein sources)
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Coffee: Protein tiramisu with approximately 20g of protein
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Dinner: Protein Wrap + Spread of your choice with 10g of protein
Just like that! We've already covered our needs. Always with us: Vetain protein powder!
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And how do I get 80g of protein per day? It's simple: skip the protein tiramisu and replace dinner with a... Protein Bowl That's it with 45g of protein! You're already at 80g of protein.
Very important: Make sure you consume enough calories!
More tips:
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Other protein sources include plant-based foods such as soybeans, quinoa, and peas.
Tip: You can find a list of other protein-rich foods in our article “What has a lot of protein? ”. -
Of course, not only the quantity but also the quality of the protein is important: pay attention to a high biological value and the most complete amino acid profile possible. Combining different plant-based protein sources, such as legumes with grains, ensures a sensible composition and a complete amino acid profile. Such a combination can increase the protein's bioavailability.
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It is recommended to distribute protein intake across several meals throughout the day.
In conclusion
We now have a good overview of how much protein is needed per day and how we can consume enough protein. If you'd like to know more, you can either get out your calculator again and calculate your personal protein requirements yourself, or learn more about Protein Myths (Also read about "How much protein per day"). Do you want to know if there's such a thing as "too much" protein? Then feel free to read this. here after.
Psst, a little tip: If you don't want to calculate it yourself, I can show you our calorie or... Protein calculator recommend – it will quickly give you an idea of how much protein per day is important for you!
literature & Sources
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German Nutrition Society e.V. (DGE) (2021). Selected questions and answers about protein and essential amino acids.
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German Nutrition Society e.V. (DGE) (o.J. ). protein. https://www.dge.de/wissenschaft/referenzwerte/protein/
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König, D. et al. (2020). Position of the working group sports nutrition of the German Nutrition Society (DGE): protein intake in sports. In: German Journal Of Sports Medicine, 71(7-8–9).
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Nutrition Hub (2024). Protein intake – do we need more?
Do you have any questions? Then feel free to write me a message. Mail - I look forward to hearing from you! :)
The information shared in this article does not replace individual medical or nutritional advice.
