Protein per kilogram
Needs scale with body weight and go up with training. The ranges are the ones used in sports-nutrition guidelines:
| Goal | g per kg a day |
|---|---|
| Everyday health | 0.8 – 1.0 |
| Exercise regularly | 1.2 – 1.6 |
| Build muscle | 1.6 – 2.2 |
| Lose weight, keep muscle | 1.6 – 2.4 |
| Endurance training | 1.2 – 1.8 |
Common questions
Why does age matter here?
People over 65 lose muscle mass faster and respond less efficiently to a given amount of protein, so guidelines raise the minimum — the calculator bumps the low end up to at least 1.0 g/kg for that age group even under the "maintain" goal.
Is more protein always better?
No — past roughly 2.2 g/kg there's little evidence of extra benefit for most people, which is why the ranges here top out there even for muscle-building goals. More isn't harmful for healthy kidneys, it's just not doing anything extra.
For general information only — not medical advice. Talk to a doctor about anything that concerns you.