How much protein do you actually need?

For most people who exercise regularly, commonly cited sports-nutrition guidance suggests roughly 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day, noticeably higher than general population recommendations, which are set closer to the minimum needed to avoid deficiency rather than the amount that supports training and muscle maintenance.

The higher end of that range tends to apply during a calorie deficit, when protein’s job of protecting muscle matters most, or for anyone doing significant resistance training. The lower end is reasonable for someone less active or in a calorie surplus, where there’s less pressure on the body to break down muscle for energy in the first place.

Protein intake well above roughly 2.2g/kg generally doesn’t translate into meaningfully more muscle retention or growth for most people, since the body can only use so much for tissue repair at a time. Beyond a certain point, extra protein is mostly just extra calories, which matters for a surplus or deficit target either way.

Eggs, dairy, poultry, fish, legumes, and protein powder all count toward the same target. Spreading protein across three or four meals tends to be easier to hit consistently than trying to front- or back-load it into one or two large servings.