How Much Protein Do You Need? Targets, Timing and Food Sources

For healthy adults who lift weights, around 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight each day is a useful starting point. It is not a minimum for everyone. 1

This guide covers general nutrition for adults, not a prescription for pregnancy, illness or kidney disease. Those situations need individual advice.

How much protein should you aim for?

The ISSN position stand suggests 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg body weight/day for most exercising adults. For an 80 kg person, that is 112 to 160 g daily. 2

A resistance-training meta-analysis estimated a plateau in extra muscle gain near 1.6 g/kg/day. Its upper confidence bound of 2.2 g/kg is not evidence that everyone needs that much. 1

General adequacy is a different question. Australia and New Zealand RDIs for ages 19 to 70 are 0.84 g/kg for men and 0.75 g/kg for women, with higher values after 70. 3

These values aim to meet the needs of most healthy people. They are not merely a boundary for avoiding clinical deficiency, nor a specific prescription for muscle gain.

Body weight or lean mass: use the right denominator

Most exercise guidance uses total body weight. Some specialist recommendations use fat-free mass, but with different ranges. Do not transfer a number from one denominator to the other.

For example, 1.6 g/kg for an 80 kg adult gives 128 g daily. That calculation uses their body weight, not the lean-mass estimate from a scan.

A review of lean, resistance-trained athletes dieting for competition proposed 2.3 to 3.1 g/kg fat-free mass. That specialised range is not a default for everyone trying to lose weight. 4

You do not need a body composition scan to start. If substantially higher body fat or medical needs make a simple bodyweight calculation unsuitable, ask a qualified dietitian for an individual target.

How needs change with age and weight loss

Older adults can be less responsive to small protein servings. Research comparing men around 22 and 71 supports this difference, not a universal switch at age 40. 5

Make regular protein-containing meals and resistance training the priorities. Supporting muscle function with ageing is worthwhile, but no protein target here is a proven prescription for a longer life.

During a calorie deficit, preserving muscle deserves attention. Training, the size of the deficit and protein intake all matter; the highest athlete targets are not automatically appropriate for you. 4

If appetite is low on medication, meal planning may need adapting. See our guide to muscle preservation during weight loss.

Protein timing: daily total first

Use meal distribution to make your target achievable. For a 128 g target, four eating occasions averaging about 32 g is one option, not a required schedule.

The ISSN offers 20 to 40 g per serving as a practical guide, depending on factors such as body size, age and exercise. It is not a universal ceiling or an on/off threshold. 2

A study found that 100 g after exercise produced a longer muscle-building response than 25 g. Larger servings are not simply wasted, but this acute result does not make 100 g meals optimal for everyone. 6

Pre-sleep protein can support overnight muscle protein synthesis. It remains optional; short-term synthesis results do not prove that a bedtime shake adds long-term benefit to every adequate diet. 2

Practical protein sources in New Zealand

Build meals around affordable foods you enjoy. Eggs, dairy, fish, lean meat, tofu, tempeh and legumes all offer useful options. Plant-based diets can meet protein needs through sufficient intake and variety. 3

Breakfast: yoghurt with oats, or eggs on toast.
Lunch: a chicken, tofu or bean wrap with vegetables.
Dinner: fish, lean meat or a lentil dish with rice and vegetables.
Snacks if useful: cottage cheese, yoghurt, edamame or a protein shake.

Check the label and the portion you actually eat. A serving of yoghurt or tofu can vary considerably by product. These are meal ideas, not guaranteed 30 g protein portions.

Protein quality scores such as DIAAS assess digestible essential amino acids. They do not rank the overall health value of a food or account for every feature of a mixed diet. 7

There is no need for a blanket hierarchy placing beef or soy below chicken. Cost, dietary preferences, fibre and the rest of your meals also matter.

Kidney health, collagen and supplements

A meta-analysis in adults without kidney disease found no worse changes in kidney filtration with higher-protein diets. That is reassuring within the studies, not proof of lifelong safety. 8

If you have kidney disease, abnormal kidney tests or a prescribed protein restriction, ask your clinician or dietitian before increasing intake. This article does not set a safe upper limit for you.

Collagen is not an equivalent replacement for whey when muscle is the goal. In a small trial of older women, whey stimulated muscle protein synthesis more than collagen. 9

Protein powder is a convenience, not a requirement. It can fill a gap when food preparation or appetite is difficult. Choose an option you tolerate, and use the nutrition label rather than the scoop size. 2

Start with a realistic daily target and meals you can repeat. If you want help fitting that around your training, appetite and routine, explore nutrition coaching.

References

1.Morton RW et al. Protein supplementation and resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2018;52:376-384. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608

2.Jäger R et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2017;14:20. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8

3.National Health and Medical Research Council and New Zealand Ministry of Health. Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand: Protein. Accessed 6 September 2026. Source

4.Helms ER et al. A systematic review of dietary protein during caloric restriction in resistance trained lean athletes: a case for higher intakes. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 2014;24:127-138. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2013-0054

5.Moore DR et al. Protein ingestion to stimulate myofibrillar protein synthesis requires greater relative protein intakes in healthy older versus younger men. Journals of Gerontology Series A. 2015;70:57-62. doi:10.1093/gerona/glu103

6.Trommelen J et al. The anabolic response to protein ingestion during recovery from exercise has no upper limit in magnitude and duration in vivo in humans. Cell Reports Medicine. 2023;4:101324. doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101324

7.Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Dietary protein quality evaluation in human nutrition. FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 92. 2013. Source

8.Devries MC et al. Changes in kidney function do not differ between healthy adults consuming higher- compared with lower- or normal-protein diets: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Nutrition. 2018;148:1760-1775. doi:10.1093/jn/nxy197

9.Oikawa SY et al. Whey protein but not collagen peptides stimulate acute and longer-term muscle protein synthesis with and without resistance exercise in healthy older women: a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2020. PMID 31919527

Quick answers

How much protein do I actually need per day?

For healthy adults who lift weights, around 1.6 g/kg body weight/day is a useful starting point. Most exercising adults fit within 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg/day. Medical needs, age and weight-loss goals can change the target.

Is the standard recommendation enough for my goals?

Australia and New Zealand reference values address general nutritional adequacy, not maximum training gains. Resistance-training targets are often higher. A higher intake is not automatically better for everyone.

Does protein damage your kidneys?

Trials in adults without kidney disease have not shown worse changes in kidney filtration with higher-protein diets. This does not establish lifelong safety. Kidney disease requires an individual clinical target.

Do older adults need more protein?

Older adults can be less responsive to a small protein serving. There is no universal switch at age 40. Adequate daily intake, protein-containing meals and resistance training matter more than a rigid birthday-based rule.

How should I distribute protein across the day?

Start with your daily target, then divide it across meals and snacks that suit your routine. A larger dinner is not wasted. Regular protein-containing meals can make the target easier to reach without precise timing.