Most athletes need between 1.2 and 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day, depending on the type and intensity of their training. For a 170-pound (77 kg) athlete, that works out to roughly 92 to 154 grams daily. That’s well above the 0.8 g/kg recommendation for the general population, and for good reason: exercise increases the rate at which your body breaks down and rebuilds muscle tissue, and protein provides the raw materials for that process.
Ranges by Sport Type
The amount of protein you need depends largely on what kind of athlete you are. Endurance athletes, such as distance runners, cyclists, and swimmers, need 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg per day. The lower end suits moderate training volumes, while the higher end applies to those doing intense or high-mileage work. During prolonged exercise, your body increases the breakdown of branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) for fuel. Because your body can’t make these on its own, they have to come from food, which is why endurance athletes need more protein than sedentary people even though their primary fuel is carbohydrate.
Strength and power athletes, including weightlifters, sprinters, and team sport players focused on building muscle, generally aim for 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg per day. The higher end of this range is most useful during phases of heavy resistance training or when you’re actively trying to add lean mass. For a 200-pound (91 kg) strength athlete, 2.0 g/kg translates to about 182 grams of protein daily.
How Much Per Meal Actually Matters
Your body can only use so much protein at one time for muscle repair. The practical ceiling sits around 15 to 30 grams per meal for most people, and intakes above 40 grams in a single sitting don’t appear to offer additional benefit for muscle building. This means spreading your protein across four or five meals and snacks throughout the day is more effective than loading it all into one or two large meals.
The key trigger within each serving is leucine, one of the essential amino acids. Roughly 2 to 3 grams of leucine per meal appears to be the threshold that kicks off muscle repair at its highest rate. Most animal-based protein sources hit this mark in a standard serving: a chicken breast, a cup of Greek yogurt, or a scoop of whey protein. Plant sources typically contain less leucine per gram of protein, which matters if you’re eating plant-based (more on that below).
When You’re Cutting Weight
If you’re eating fewer calories than you burn, whether to make a weight class or lean out for competition, your protein needs go up, not down. Recommendations for athletes in a caloric deficit range from 1.6 to 2.4 g/kg per day. The more aggressive your calorie cut, the higher your protein intake should be within that range.
The logic is straightforward. When energy is scarce, your body is more willing to break down muscle for fuel. Higher protein intake counteracts this by supplying enough amino acids to maintain muscle tissue even while fat stores are being tapped. Athletes who keep protein high during a cut consistently preserve more lean mass than those who don’t, which matters both for performance and for maintaining a healthy metabolic rate.
Plant-Based Athletes May Need More
Plant proteins are generally less efficient at stimulating muscle repair than animal proteins, for a few reasons. First, plant sources are less digestible overall, meaning a smaller percentage of the protein you eat actually reaches your muscles. Second, plant proteins tend to be lower in certain essential amino acids, particularly lysine and methionine. Third, and perhaps most practically relevant, most plant proteins contain less leucine per gram than animal sources like eggs, dairy, or meat.
The simplest workaround is eating a greater total amount of protein per meal. If a serving of whey protein delivers 2.5 grams of leucine, you may need a larger portion of rice and pea protein to reach the same leucine content. Combining different plant sources at meals (grains with legumes, for instance) also helps fill in amino acid gaps. Many plant-based athletes aim for the higher end of the recommended range for their sport, adding an extra 10 to 20 percent on top of what an omnivorous athlete would target.
Protein Needs for Older Athletes
Athletes over 50 face a phenomenon called anabolic resistance: their muscles become less responsive to the same amount of protein that would trigger robust repair in a younger person. This means older athletes likely need more protein per serving and per day to maintain the same muscle mass and function.
Formal recommendations for masters athletes are still limited, but the available research shows that those consuming higher protein intakes (reported averages range from 1.0 to 1.9 g/kg per day across studies) tend to have better outcomes for muscle mass and strength. Aiming for the upper half of the general athletic range, roughly 1.6 g/kg or above, is a reasonable starting point. Paying attention to leucine content per meal becomes even more important with age, since older muscles appear to need closer to 3 grams of leucine per serving to fully activate the repair process, compared to about 2 grams in younger athletes.
Timing Around Training
Eating protein within a couple of hours after exercise supports recovery, but the “anabolic window” is wider than the 30-minute deadline that gym culture has long promoted. What matters more is that you don’t train in a fasted state and go hours afterward without eating. When amino acid availability is low, muscle breakdown exceeds muscle building, and net tissue gain doesn’t occur. Protein consumed after sessions with a heavy eccentric component (think downhill running, plyometrics, or the lowering phase of lifts) is especially helpful for reducing soreness and restoring muscle function faster.
A practical approach: have a protein-containing meal or snack one to two hours before training, and another within one to two hours after. If your schedule makes that difficult, a quick option like a protein shake or a handful of jerky bridges the gap effectively.
Putting It Into Practice
To find your daily target, multiply your body weight in kilograms by the appropriate range for your sport and situation:
- Endurance training: 1.2–1.6 g/kg/day
- Strength and power training: 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day
- During a caloric deficit: 1.6–2.4 g/kg/day
- Masters athletes (50+): aim for 1.6 g/kg/day or above
If you don’t know your weight in kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2. A 150-pound endurance athlete (68 kg) at 1.4 g/kg needs about 95 grams per day. A 200-pound strength athlete (91 kg) at 2.0 g/kg needs about 182 grams per day. Spread that across four or more meals, keep each serving in the 20 to 40 gram range, and prioritize protein sources that are rich in leucine, especially if you’re plant-based or over 50.