Can too much protein be harmful?

For people with normal kidney function, research hasn't shown higher protein intakes within these ranges to be harmful — the ISSN position stand notes intakes above roughly 2.0 g/kg mostly show diminishing returns rather than harm for most healthy individuals.

Should I eat more protein while cutting calories?

Yes, generally — many sports-nutrition sources suggest leaning toward the higher end of the active/athlete range during a calorie deficit, since protein helps preserve muscle mass when total calories are reduced.

Does this account for body fat percentage?

No — this uses total body weight. Some more detailed protein recommendations use lean body mass instead, which would produce a somewhat lower target for people with a higher body fat percentage.

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Health & Fitness

Protein Intake Calculator

Daily protein target in grams by activity level.

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Last reviewed 2026-08-25

About the Protein Intake Calculator

Estimates a daily protein target in grams from your body weight and activity level, using the RDA baseline for sedentary adults and the International Society of Sports Nutrition's cited range for people who exercise regularly.

How to use it

Enter your Body weight and select the matching Units.
Choose your Activity level.
Read your daily protein target, and an approximate per-meal amount, in the result panel.

Formula

Daily protein target = body weight (kg) × grams per kg for your activity level

Sedentary: 0.8 g/kg — the U.S. RDA, calibrated to prevent deficiency in a generally inactive population, not to optimize performance or muscle retention.
Recreationally active / Building muscle: 1.4-2.0 g/kg — the range the International Society of Sports Nutrition's position stand on protein and exercise cites as sufficient for building and maintaining muscle mass in most exercising individuals.

Worked example

A 70 kg recreationally active person's daily protein target is 98 g (70 × 1.4 g/kg), or about 25 g per meal spread across 4 meals.

Interpreting your result

These are population-level guidelines, not individually prescribed targets — actual optimal intake varies by training volume, goals, age, and total calorie intake. The ISSN position stand notes intakes above 2.0 g/kg show diminishing returns for most people, though some research suggests higher intakes (>3.0 g/kg) may still benefit body composition in resistance-trained individuals during a calorie deficit specifically.

Recommendations

• Spreading protein intake across 3-5 meals is commonly recommended over concentrating it in one meal, since the body can only use so much at once for muscle protein synthesis.
• If you're actively trying to build muscle while in a calorie deficit, lean toward the higher end of the active/athlete range — protein needs go up, not down, when calories are restricted.
• This estimates total daily protein only — pairing it with adequate total calories and resistance training is what actually drives muscle growth or retention, not protein intake alone.

Frequently asked questions

The RDA is calibrated to prevent deficiency in a generally sedentary population — it's a floor, not an optimal target for anyone doing regular resistance or endurance training, which increases protein turnover and needs.