Protein Calculator

How much protein do you need for muscle growth?

Protein is the most important macronutrient for muscle growth. Without sufficient protein, muscles cannot grow — regardless of how hard you train. Research identifies 1.6–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day as optimal for hypertrophy (Schoenfeld & Aragon, 2018, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition).

For an 80 kg person that translates to 128–176 grams of protein per day. The key is consistency — hitting this range day after day matters far more than any single high-protein day.

During fat loss, protein needs are even higher — 2.0–2.4 g/kg/day — because adequate protein helps preserve muscle mass in a calorie deficit and increases satiety. Endurance athletes generally do well at a lower intake of 1.2–1.6 g/kg/day since the primary role of protein is tissue repair rather than significant muscle building.

How to distribute protein across the day

Research shows that spreading protein across 3–5 meals (20–40 g each) optimises muscle protein synthesis better than eating the same total in one or two large meals (Moore et al., 2015). Two windows are particularly important: within two hours after training (20–40 g) and before sleep (a slow-digesting source such as cottage cheese or casein).