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Zuletzt aktualisiert am 25.09.2025
The information in this article does not replace individual medical or nutritional advice.
While some people can’t get enough protein and down one shake after another, others shake their heads at exactly that. Opinions on “How much protein per day?” vary widely, and it’s easy to lose track of what to believe.
Luckily, we have science to give us reliable, study-based information. And (also luckily) you’ve got us at Vetain. We’ll answer the most important questions—clearly and engagingly. In this article, we’ll tackle how many grams of protein you really need per day!
Small spoiler: it’s not as simple as you might think. Protein needs are individual and not a fixed number.
Your takeaway: How much protein per day?
Protein needs are individual and depend on many factors like body weight and activity level.
For the general population, a recommendation of 0.8 g of protein per kg body weight applies, which is about 48 g for a 60 kg person. Other groups, however, have different values.
You can get protein from foods like legumes, but products like protein shakes can also help. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
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How much protein per day: your overview
When you search for how much protein per day makes sense, you’ll often see not one clear number but guidance on how much protein per kg of body weight. Great—so do we have to do math now to know our daily protein?
Why is it so complicated? :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Because your protein requirement depends on many different factors:
Age
Body weight
Activity level
Goals
…
That’s why the answer to “How much protein per day for men?” or “How much protein per day for muscle building?” can’t be a single number. Instead, there are ranges for different groups (like active people, older adults, etc.) stating how much protein per kg is needed. With that, you can calculate your daily requirement yourself and factor in as many variables as possible to get the most accurate estimate.
Sometimes, though, you just want a straight answer without higher math. That’s what we’re here for!
Ready? Great! Let’s look at different population groups to find out how much protein per day is needed. No calculator required—I’ve got you. Let’s go!
General population
This group includes all healthy 19–64-year-olds. Their requirement is 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight.
Let’s look at a few weights:
40 kg → 32 g
50 kg → 40 g
60 kg → 48 g
70 kg → 56 g
80 kg → 64 g
90 kg → 72 g
100 kg → 80 g
The odds that you weigh EXACTLY 60 or 70 kg and can read off your number here are slim—I know. Listing every possible weight would be wild, so take this as a quick first orientation for your ideal intake.
Physically active people
Anyone doing more than 5 hours of sports per week has increased protein needs. How high exactly? Hard to pin down! Especially for active folks, opinions differ on how much protein per day is needed for strength training or bodybuilding.
We align with recommendations from well-regarded professional bodies:
Right now, 1.2–2 g of protein per kg are recommended for active people. The range exists because the exact need depends on training intensity and status as well as goals.
Examples:
40 kg → 48–80 g
50 kg → 60–100 g
60 kg → 72–120 g
70 kg → 84–140 g
80 kg → 96–160 g
90 kg → 108–180 g
100 kg → 120–200 g
Now I get why so many people at the gym are sipping protein shakes.
Older adults (65+)
From 65 years on, protein needs rise! A rough guide is ~1 g/kg. This is only an estimate, though: people 65+ differ a lot in health status, activity, etc., so one size rarely fits all. Still, here’s a quick overview of what’s commonly recommended:
40 kg → 40 g
50 kg → 50 g
60 kg → 60 g
70 kg → 70 g
80 kg → 80 g
90 kg → 90 g
100 kg → 100 g
So—maybe invite your parents or grandparents for a protein bar! :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Women
Yes, women are part of the general population—no question! But pregnancy and lactation come with special demands on the body, which change how much protein is needed.
So: how much protein per day do women need?
Pregnancy
We have fairly specific guidance here. In the 1st trimester, needs remain 0.8 g/kg; in the 2nd trimester they rise to 0.9 g/kg, and in the 3rd trimester to 1.0 g/kg.
We’ll split the overview: 1st trimester | 2nd trimester | 3rd trimester
40 kg → 32 g | 36 g | 40 g
50 kg → 40 g | 45 g | 50 g
60 kg → 48 g | 54 g | 60 g
70 kg → 56 g | 63 g | 70 g
80 kg → 64 g | 72 g | 80 g
90 kg → 72 g | 81 g | 90 g
100 kg → 80 g | 90 g | 100 g
So overall, protein needs climb by 25% across pregnancy!
Lactation
During lactation, the requirement is 1.2 g/kg body weight—based on the mother’s weight.
40 kg → 48 g
50 kg → 60 g
60 kg → 72 g
70 kg → 84 g
80 kg → 96 g
90 kg → 108 g
100 kg → 120 g
People with overweight
There are specifics here, too! The per-day requirement is also 0.8 g/kg—but it’s calculated from ideal weight based on BMI, not current weight. You can find that by running a BMI calculator “in reverse.”
Because this becomes quite complex and depends on age and height, a complete overview won’t fit here.
Wondering about how much protein per day for weight loss? Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Some people benefit from a higher protein intake while dieting; others do fine with the standard 0.8 g/kg. Ultimately, calorie intake is the main driver. But that’s another topic for another day. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
Okay, we’ve got a rough idea of how much protein per day is needed. But “60 g protein” doesn’t tell me what to eat! So what does that look like in food?
How can I meet my protein needs?
Here’s an example of how to cover 60 g easily:
Breakfast: Baked Oats with ~20 g protein
Lunch: Indian dal with ~15 g protein
Coffee: Coconut chia pudding with mango with ~10 g protein
Dinner: Protein bread with ~20 g protein + spread of your choice
Boom—needs met, and we even overshot by ~5 g. You’ll find a longer list of high-protein foods in our article “What is high in protein?”. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
Of course, it’s not just about quantity but also quality: look for high biological value and as complete an amino acid profile as possible.
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To wrap up
We now have a solid overview of how much protein per day you need and how to get enough. If you want to go deeper, you can grab your calculator to work out your personal requirement—or read more about common protein myths. Wondering whether you can have “too much” protein? Then check out this article.
Pssst, pro tip: If you don’t want to calculate your own daily protein target, try our calorie calculator—it quickly estimates how much protein is ideal for you! :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
Literatur & Quellen
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung e.V. (DGE) (2021). Ausgewählte Fragen und Antworten zu Protein und unentbehrlichen Aminosäuren. https://www.dge.de/fileadmin/dok
/gesunde-ernaehrung/faq/DGE
-FAQ-Protein-2021.pdfDeutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung e.V. (DGE) (o.J.). Protein. https://www.dge.de/wissenschaft
/referenzwerte/protein/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).
Nutrition Hub (2024). Proteinzufuhr – Brauchen wir mehr? https://www.ernaehrungs-umschau.de/fileadmin/Ernaehrungs-Umschau/Branchenverzeichnis/
Danone/Expertinnenpanel_Protein
_Outputpaper.pdf
If you have questions, feel free to email me—I’m happy to hear from you! :)
