How much protein per kg: recommendations simply explained

How much protein per kg do I need? We'd love to be able to answer this question with a simple number. But judging by the length of this blog post, you can probably guess that the answer isn't quite that simple. Protein requirements aren't a fixed amount; they're individual and depend on many different factors, such as age, activity level, and body weight.

So make yourself comfortable, grab a protein shake and I'll take you into the world of proteins.

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Your knowledge on the go: How much protein per kg?

• For the general population, a protein intake of 0.8 g per kg of body weight is recommended – there are special recommendations for physically active people, the elderly, etc.

• You can determine your daily protein requirement by multiplying the protein recommendation per kg of body weight by your weight.

• A consistently insufficient or excessive protein intake is not ideal. Therefore, ensure adequate protein intake from foods such as legumes or products like protein shakes.
  
  

Introduction: How much protein per kg of body weight is advisable?

Proteins are great important nutrients, Proteins are involved in many processes in our bodies. Since we want to take the best possible care of our bodies, our motto is to consume enough protein. To do this, however, we need to know how much protein is required per kilogram of body weight. So let's get started!

As already mentioned, there is no such thing as... one The amount of protein that's perfect for everyone. Instead, every person needs varying amounts of protein, to be well cared for.
This also explains the following phenomenon: If you search for how many grams of protein are needed per day, you often find the information about how many grams are needed per kilogram of body weight. What?! Don't worry, I didn't slip on the keyboard.
Let me explain it briefly: Your protein needs depend primarily on your body weight. For every kilogram you weigh, you need a certain amount of protein in grams. Therefore, protein requirements are usually given as grams of protein per kilogram of body weight – or in short: g per kg (kg).
This makes it quite easy to calculate how much protein you need per day.

Recommended protein intake – How much protein per kg do I need?

As briefly explained earlier, the required protein intake depends on many factors and is individual for everyone. Nevertheless, there are general guidelines for different groups regarding how much protein per kilogram is needed. Let's go through the most common groups together and look at their required protein intake:

General population

Generally, for healthy adults aged 19 to 64 years who have a BMI in the normal range (18.5-24.9) kg/m2) have a protein intake of 0.8 g per kg Recommended daily intake based on body weight. This amount can be seen as a minimum supply, ensuring that enough protein is available for all important bodily functions.

There are a few special considerations for women! A woman's protein requirement is influenced by even more factors than a man's: for example, pregnancy (0.9 G per kg in the 2nd trimester and 1 g per kg in the 3rd trimester) and breastfeeding (1,2 G per kg) a major influence on how much protein is needed per kg.

Note for overweight individuals: While the recommendation of 0.8 g per kg also applies here, there is something to consider when calculating total protein intake – more on that later!

Active sports enthusiasts

This group is probably most interested in the "how much protein per kg" question. And that makes sense! Physically active people have an increased need for protein. However, according to professional societies, this only applies to those exercising for about 5 hours or more per week! Anything less is considered normal activity and is already included in the general population's protein requirements. So, if you go jogging once a week, you'll probably be fine with the basic recommendation.
However, if you are more active or even participate in competitive sports, different recommendations apply:
Professional societies such as the International Society of Sports Nutrition specify a range of 1.2-2 g Recommended protein intake per kg. However, it's not possible to simply specify an exact value, as this depends on individual factors such as training intensity, fitness level, and goals.

By the way: More isn't always better! Beyond a certain point, additional protein intake offers no further benefit. We don't yet know exactly where this limit lies, but it's likely somewhere in the range of 1.6-2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Adults aged 65 and over

Are you 65 or older? Then your body has a higher protein requirement. How much protein per kg do people over 65 need? Approximately 1.0 g per kg. Adequate protein intake is important even in old age! So let's have a meal together! Refreshing Clear Protein drink!
Caution: Illnesses and special needs can affect the required amount of protein. In such cases, it is advisable to consult a nutritionist.

Vegetarian and vegan diets

Although the recommendation for the general population of 0.8 g protein per kg Although this also applies to vegetarian and vegan diets, some experts recommend increasing this value. The reason for this is that plant proteins Vegetarian proteins are somewhat more complicated than animal proteins: More attention must be paid to ensuring adequate bioavailability and a complete amino acid profile. However, the general guideline still applies! And with a little know-how, it's quite easy to get enough protein with a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Calculate your protein needs – your protein calculator

You've assigned yourself to one of the groups? Fantastic! Now, what do we do with the information about how much protein we need per kg?
Let's do some math! Welcome back to math class – no, don't worry, it won't be that bad. It's actually quite simple.You take your recommended protein intake and multiply it by your body weight:
Recommended amount of protein per kg of body weight * your body weight in kg = your ideal amount of protein in g
Example: 0.8 g/kg * 60 kg = 48 g protein

Ta-da! You did it! You now know how many grams of protein you need per day!

Is that too much math for you? In our article "How much protein per day"We'll help you with that!"

Calculate protein requirements for overweight individuals

For overweight individuals (BMI of 25-29.9 kg/m²), the required protein intake does not increase with every kilogram of body weight. Therefore, when calculating protein requirements, we need to take a slightly different approach: Instead of multiplying the recommended protein amount by your current weight, you use a BMI calculator to work backward to determine the ideal weight for your age and height. You can then use this weight to calculate your daily protein requirement.

What happens if you consume too much or too little protein?

It's now clear how much protein we need per kg. But now you couldn't stop... Brownie Fudge Protein Bar You ate a lot of food and now you've consumed much more protein than you should. Is that bad? Can too much protein even be harmful? dangerous What happens if you consume too little protein? And what happens if you don't get enough protein?

Insufficient protein intake:
The general guideline of 0.8 g per kg of body weight is our basic requirement. If we regularly fall significantly short of this amount, i.e., consume considerably less protein, this can indeed lead to... health consequences lead! This won't happen if you eat less for a few days because you're sick or a few grams below your recommended total protein intake. This is about an actual protein deficiency, which develops when you consistently consume significantly too little protein – that's something that needs to be addressed by a healthcare professional.

Excessive protein intake:
You often read about the dangers of excessive protein intake and how too much protein can damage the kidneys. Therefore, it's important for us to clarify this for you.
Professional societies have not yet been able to Tolerable total intake To determine the maximum amount of a nutrient that most people can consume daily over the long term without experiencing negative effects.
Why? Guess three times: That's right! The research isn't yet conclusive enough. However, professional societies recommend a protein intake of up to... 2 g per kg for healthy adults considered harmless.
Caution is advised when consuming higher amounts. Although some experts consider even higher amounts safe, the research is not yet robust enough to allow such statements to stand uncritically.

You can find more information on this topic in our blog article "What happens with too much protein? Understanding the risks".

Also of interest: In another article we common protein myths Exposed!

How can you meet your protein needs?

Now that we know how much protein per kg we need daily, we can turn our attention to the question of how best to meet this need. After all, we wouldn't be Vetain if we weren't experts in this area!
Here's a checklist for you:

• Divide your total protein intake into several portions Eat protein at every meal. If you are physically active, it can also be beneficial to consume an extra portion of protein around your workout.

• You can and should protein-rich foods How z.B. Eat legumes every day. You can also occasionally eat legumes. Protein products such as protein shakes. This can be particularly helpful in everyday life to meet daily protein requirements.

• Use various protein sources and combine them effectively. Ensure a balanced amino acid intake, paying particular attention to consuming sufficient essential amino acids. Especially with vegetarian and vegan protein sources, it's important to combine different protein sources, as this is the only way to achieve optimal results. complete amino acid profile you receive.

• Pay attention to what else your protein sources contain and consider your products as a whole: Do they contain other ingredients? valuable ingredients What about fiber, vitamins, or healthy fatty acids? Because the most amazing protein source is useless if the other nutritional values ​​are nonsense.
  

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Conclusion

How much protein per kg of body mass you need is totally individually and depends on your weight, your goals, your lifestyle and more! Do you want to know your protein requirements as accurately as possible? Then use our Calorie calculator and have it calculated there. That way you can be sure you're always in the best hands. And if you have any further questions... Delicious protein powder with top nutritional values If you're missing something, we have something for you too.

literature & Sources

1. German Nutrition Society e.V. (DGE) (2021). Selected questions and answers about protein and essential amino acids. https://www.dge.de/fileadmin/dok/
   healthy-nutrition/faq/DGE-FAQ-Protein-2021.pdf

2. German Nutrition Society e.V. (DGE) (o.J. ). protein. https://www.dge.de/wissenschaft/
   reference values/protein/

3. 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).

4. Nutrition Hub (2024). Protein intake – do we need more? https://www.ernaehrungs-umschau.de/fileadmin/Ernaehrungs-Umschau/Branchenverzeichnis/Danone/
   Expert Panel_Protein_
   Outputpaper.pdf
   
   
   

The information shared in this article does not replace individual medical or nutritional advice.