Your body needs protein every day for maintaining muscle and bone, growing healthy hair and nails, and making new blood cells and other vital substances such as enzymes, neurotransmitters, even DNA. Although protein is a vital nutrient, most diets readily meet, or exceed, protein needs. That said, there might be some who don’t get enough.
How much protein is enough?
- The U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein for adults has been set at 0.8 grams of protein/kg of body weight –or 0.36 grams/pound –per day.
Example: 150 pounds divided by 2.2 lbs/kg = 68 kg x 0.8 = 54 grams of protein.
- Amounts are slightly higher for endurance athletes (increased muscle repair) and for vegetarians/vegans following a primarily whole foods diet to allow for the decreased digestibly of whole grains, beans and vegetables.
- Calculate how much protein you need using one of the RDAs listed below. Here is a PDF of the list of Protein Content of Common Foods.
| Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) |
| Healthy Adult |
0.8 gm/kg (0.36 gm/lb.) |
| Vegetarian/Vegan |
0.8-1.0 gm/kg (0.36-0.45 gm/lb.)* |
| Athlete (endurance) |
1.2 –1.4 gm/kg (0.54-0.64 gm/lb.) |
| Strength Training |
1.6-1.7 gm/kg (0.72-0.77 gm/lb.) |
| |
* 0.9-1.0 gm/kg on a predominantly whole foods diet |
Is it possible to eat too much protein?
Yes. Exceeding one’s protein needs provides no additional health or muscle-building benefits. It increases the workload of the kidneys, increases calcium loss in the urine and raises fluid requirements. Routinely eating excess protein high in saturated fat (dairy, red meat, etc.) also increases the risk for cardiovascular disease and some cancers.
Who is at risk for not getting enough protein?
- Those with inadequate calorie intakes (low calorie-dieters, people with anorexia, people with loss of appetite due to illness or depression)
- Those whose diets consists mostly of lower-protein plant foods –the ‘dry cereal and pasta diet’ or the ‘fruit and salad diet’
- Those whose calories come mainly from empty-nutrient foods (soda, chips, fries, donuts and candy)
- Those who have trouble finding protein sources they like and end up eating mostly salads and stir-fried vegetables
What happens when you don't get enough protein?
Routinely eating a low protein diet may result in fatigue, frequent colds, impaired immune function, weakness or poor recovery from a workout, anemia, and hair loss.