Protein Calculator
Calculate a daily protein intake reference range in grams/day from your body weight and activity goal (sedentary, endurance, or muscle hypertrophy), based on published sports-nutrition guidelines.
How It's Calculated
Formula
\text{protein (g/day)} = \text{weight (kg)} \times \text{coefficient (g/kg/day)}This calculator reports a daily protein intake reference range in grams/day, based on your body weight and one of three goal categories. Sedentary uses the standard Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) Recommended Dietary Allowance of 0.8 g/kg/day for a generally healthy, non-exercising adult. Endurance training and muscle hypertrophy (strength/power training) both use 1.4-2 g/kg/day — the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) Position Stand on protein and exercise states this single range is "sufficient for most exercising individuals" and does not publish separate endurance-specific and hypertrophy-specific daily targets, so this calculator applies the same verified range to both exercising categories rather than inventing a split the source doesn't support. This is an estimate for general informational and educational purposes, based on a published formula — it is not a medical diagnosis, and it is not a substitute for individualized advice from a qualified healthcare provider. This is a general dietary REFERENCE ESTIMATE, not individualized medical or dietetic advice — actual protein needs vary with age, training history, total energy intake, and health status, and special populations (pregnancy, kidney disease, and other clinical conditions) may need a different target set by a clinician or registered dietitian.
Worked Examples
70 kg, sedentary
- Coefficient: 0.8 g/kg/day (DRI RDA)
- 70 kg × 0.8 = 56 g/day
80 kg, muscle hypertrophy
- Coefficient range: 1.4-2 g/kg/day (ISSN Position Stand)
- Lower: 80 kg × 1.4 = 112 g/day
- Upper: 80 kg × 2 = 160 g/day
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is sedentary a single number but endurance and muscle hypertrophy are ranges?
The sedentary figure is the standard DRI RDA, published as one baseline value. The ISSN's exercise-related recommendation is published as a single range for exercising individuals generally, without separate endurance-specific and hypertrophy-specific daily targets — so both exercising categories here use that same verified range rather than a source-unsupported split.
Is this personalized medical or dietetic advice?
This is an estimate for general informational and educational purposes, based on a published formula — it is not a medical diagnosis, and it is not a substitute for individualized advice from a qualified healthcare provider. This tool applies a published population-level coefficient to your weight — it does not account for your individual health history, kidney function, pregnancy, or other clinical factors that can change your protein needs.
Why aren't there more goal options, like weight loss or bodybuilding cutting phases?
This calculator only implements goal categories with a verified published coefficient. Adding a preset for a goal without a verified source would mean guessing at a number, which this calculator does not do.