How much protein per day: Guide for men, women and exercise

09 Apr

Protein is the body’s building material - but how much do you really need? It’s a question that comes up both with those who have just started training and with the experienced athlete who wants to optimize every detail. The answer depends on a number of factors: your weight, your goal, your age and how active you are. This guide explains what the research says, how to calculate your personal protein needs and what that means in practice on the plate.

Protein needs - what the research says about the recommendations

The official recommendation in the Nordics is approximately 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight per day for adults who do not exercise actively. It is the minimum intake needed for the body to function normally – maintaining organs, producing enzymes and hormones and repairing cell damage in everyday processes.

But that figure is a floor, not an optimum. For people who exercise regularly, are older or are in a weight loss phase, research consistently shows that the need is significantly higher. A review of over 40 studies published in 2017 showed that the optimal intake for muscle growth in active individuals is in the range of 1.6–2.2 g per kg of body weight per day.

The difference between 0.8 g/kg and 2.0 g/kg is huge in practice. A 75 kg person who does strength training three times a week should therefore aim for 120-165 g of protein daily – not the 60 g that the minimum recommendation states.

It is also worth understanding why the body needs more protein during exercise. Muscle protein synthesis—the process by which the body builds new muscle tissue—accelerates after a workout and remains elevated for 24-48 hours. During that period, the protein supply is decisive for whether the muscle mass increases, is maintained or decreases.

Protein per kg of body weight - this is how you calculate your daily requirement

Calculating your protein intake per day is easier than it sounds. The starting point is always the body weight, and then the multiplier is adjusted depending on the goal and activity level.

Here’s a handy overview:

• Sedentary lifestyle, no regular exercise: 0.8-1.0 g per kg body weight

• Lightly active (2-3 training sessions per week, cardio): 1.2-1.6 g per kg body weight

• Regular strength training with the aim of maintaining muscle: 1.6–1.8 g per kg of body weight

• Active muscle building, weightlifting, crossfit: 1.8–2.2 g per kg of body weight

• Caloric restriction with the aim of preserving muscle mass: 2.0–2.4 g per kg of body weight

The last category is interesting. During a weight loss phase, protein needs actually increase – the body tends to break down muscle protein for energy when calorie intake is low. Studies show that an intake of 2.0-2.4 g/kg during caloric restriction effectively protects muscle mass, even in an aggressive caloric deficit.

Calculation example for a person of 70 kg

A 70 kg woman who does three strength sessions a week and wants to build muscle should aim for 1.8–2.0 g/kg, i.e. 126–140 g of protein per day. A man of the same weight with the same goal ends up in the same range - gender itself doesn’t change the multiplier to any dramatic extent, which we’ll come back to.

A sedentary person weighing 70 kg, on the other hand, needs just under 60 g of protein per day for basic body functions. That’s roughly what you get in three eggs, 200g of chicken breast and a dl of lentils – a realistic amount without putting in the effort.

How much protein per day differs between men and women

The question of whether protein needs differ between the sexes comes up often, and the answer is nuanced. The absolute amount of protein per day is generally higher for men - but this is primarily because men weigh more on average and have more muscle mass, not because the protein is used differently biologically.

Protein requirements for women

For a woman who trains actively and wants to build muscle, the same gram-per-kilo recommendations apply as for men: 1.6–2.2 g/kg. A 60 kg woman who exercises four times a week should therefore take in 96–132 g of protein daily.

What can differ is the context. Hormonal variations during the menstrual cycle affect muscle protein synthesis somewhat - during the follicular phase (the first half of the cycle) the body appears to be more responsive to protein synthesis. It is a relatively new area of ​​research and the practical implications are not yet fully understood, but it provides an indication that protein intake can be further optimized with respect to the phases of the cycle.

Pregnant and lactating women have a clearly increased need for protein - the Swedish Food Agency recommends an addition of 10-20 g of extra protein per day during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. During breastfeeding, an additional need is added depending on the frequency of breastfeeding.

How much protein to build muscle - and what time of day it matters

Building muscle is not only about the total amount of protein – the distribution during the day is also important. Research shows that the body can utilize approximately 20-40g of protein per meal for muscle protein synthesis, depending on the individual, training status and protein source. This means that eating 4-5 meals with 30-40g of protein is more efficient than getting all 160g in one huge meal.

The timing around the workout is also relevant, but probably not in the dramatic way that the supplement industry sometimes claims. The so-called “anabolic window”—the notion that you must eat protein within 30 minutes of exercise—is exaggerated. Recent research suggests that the window is wider, perhaps 2-4 hours post-workout, and that the most important thing is that you actually hit your daily protein target.

What is more clearly supported, however, is that a protein intake of 20-40 g directly after training contributes positively to muscle recovery and synthesis, especially if you trained fasted or it has been more than 4-5 hours since the last goal.

• Try to distribute the protein over 3–5 meals during the day

• Aim for 25-40g of protein per meal if you are training for muscle building

• A protein source in the evening – for example, cottage cheese or Greek yogurt – can support nocturnal muscle synthesis

• The total daily intake is more important than exact timing

Casein protein, found naturally in dairy products, breaks down slowly and provides a steady flow of amino acids for 5-7 hours. That’s one reason why the composition of the evening meal can make a difference to nighttime recovery.

Protein requirements for the elderly and vegans - important exceptions

Two groups have a more specific protein requirement that deviates from standard recommendations: older adults and those who eat plant-based foods.

Older people and protein needs after 65

Sarcopenia – eel-related loss of muscle mass – is one of the most underestimated public health problems in Sweden. From the age of 40, the body loses approximately 0.5–1% of muscle mass per year if it is not actively counteracted. After 65, the process accelerates.

Older muscle is also less sensitive to protein stimulation – a phenomenon known as “anabolic resistance”. The body needs a larger dose of leucine (one of the branched-chain amino acids) to trigger the same level of muscle protein synthesis as a young adult. The practical advice: older people should aim for 1.2-1.6g of protein per kg of body weight as a minimum, and up to 2.0g/kg if they do strength training regularly.

Studies in older adults show that an intake of at least 25–30 g of high-quality protein per meal is more effective in stimulating muscle synthesis than a lower intake spread over several occasions. Leucine-rich sources – eggs, fish, dairy products and chicken – are especially valuable for this group.

Vegans and protein intake per day

Plant-based protein sources often contain lower levels of essential amino acids, especially leucine, compared to animal sources. Bioavailability – how much the body can actually absorb and use – is also generally lower for plant protein.

This does not mean that it is impossible to meet your protein needs on a vegan diet, but it requires more planning. A vegan person training for muscle building should aim for the upper end of the range, 2.0-2.4g of protein per kg of body weight, and deliberately combine protein sources to cover the amino acid profile.

Combinations that provide a complete amino acid profile:

• Beans + rice or corn

• Lentils + wholemeal bread

• Tofu + edamame (soy actually has one of the best amino acid patterns among plant proteins)

• Tempeh + quinoa (quinoa is one of the few plant-based “complete” protein sources)

Pea protein and soy protein have the best documentation among plant-based dietary supplements and are closest to whey in amino acid composition.

Protein-rich food in practice - how to reach your daily goal

Knowing you need 140g of protein per day doesn’t help if you don’t know what it looks like on your plate. Here are specific amounts from common protein sources:

|Source|Portion|Protein|

|Chicken breast|150 g|~45g|

|Salmon|150 g|~35g|

|Egg|3 pcs|~18g|

|Cottage cheese|200 g|~24g|

|Greek yogurt|250 g|~20g|

|Lentils, cooked|200 g|~18g|

|Tofu|150 g|~18g|

|Cottage cheese|200 g|~26g|

|Tempeh|100 g|~19g|

|Milk (3%)|3 dl|~9 g|

A day with 140 g of protein can look like this without supplements: breakfast with Greek yogurt and eggs (38 g), lunch with chicken breast and vegetables (45 g), snack with cottage cheese (26 g) and dinner with salmon and lentils (35 g+). Total: 144g – without a single gram of protein powder.

That’s a reasonable goal for most people, but it requires protein to be an active part of every meal rather than an afterthought. The most common reason people fall short of their protein goal isn’t that they’re eating the wrong sources—it’s that they simply forget to count the protein at breakfast and snacks, and compensate with too large a portion at dinner.

Realistic daily goals thus depend on your weight and fitness level. Start by calculating your multiplier (1.2-2.2 g/kg depending on the goal), multiply by your body weight, and divide the result into three to five meals. It’s the frame - what you fill it with determines whether it actually works in the long run.

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