Protein Calculator

For a healthy adult EFSA’s population reference intake is 0.83 g per kilogram a day; the daily amount is that value times your weight. EFSA defines the population reference intake (PRI) as “the level of (nutrient) intake that is adequate for virtually all people in a population group”; the average requirement (AR, 0.66 g/kg) is the level adequate for half of them. So an intake that meets the PRI is adequate for virtually everyone; most people’s requirement is below it. The PRI is not a ceiling.

EFSA says the data on the effect of protein above the PRI on muscle mass and function do not provide evidence on which to base a reference value, so the official reference values have no amount for athletes. As the view of a scientific society, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) states in its 2017 position stand that 1.4–2.0 g/kg of total protein a day is sufficient for most exercising people, and that about 0.25 g/kg or 20–40 g of high-quality protein can be taken per serving. That is a society’s recommendation, not an official reference value; set the amount for your training with a sports dietitian.

EFSA considers the requirement of older adults equal to that of other adults (0.83 g/kg) and notes that, because sedentary older people need less energy, protein may make up a larger share of it; TÜBER 2022 also gives a protein range of 12–20% from age 65. The PROT-AGE study group set up by the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS) recommends in its 2013 position paper at least 1.0–1.2 g/kg a day for people over 65 to maintain muscle mass and function, 1.2 g/kg or more for those who exercise or are otherwise active, and 1.2–1.5 g/kg for most with an acute or chronic disease; it excludes people with severe kidney disease (eGFR < 30) who are not on dialysis. That is an expert group’s recommendation, not an official reference value; discuss it with your doctor.

EFSA says the data are not enough to set an upper limit (UL) for protein and that up to 2 times the PRI is considered safe in adults; the tool shows that level in the “level considered safe” row. That does not mean more is harmful, only that there is no adequate assessment above it. If you have kidney disease, the right amount depends on its stage and may need to be limited; in that case always set it with your doctor or a dietitian.

EFSA’s per-kilogram values are turned into grams a day with reference body weights; the adult reference weights come from measured heights assuming a body mass index of 22. The tool uses your own weight. If you weigh well above what a BMI of 22 means for your height, the result is higher than EFSA’s reference-weight amount; you can also work it out with a healthy weight for your height and compare, and set the amount with a dietitian.

EFSA adds 1, 9 and 28 g a day in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy, and 19 g in the first 6 months of breastfeeding (exclusive) and 13 g after 6 months, to the PRI of a woman who is neither pregnant nor breastfeeding. The add-ons are grams a day, not per kilogram. Plan your diet in pregnancy and breastfeeding with your doctor or a dietitian.

EFSA follows the 2007 approach of the World Health Organization, FAO and the UN University: the requirement of children and adolescents is the sum of the protein needed for maintenance (0.66 g/kg) and the protein deposited in tissue during growth. Because growth is fastest in the first years, the per-kilogram value is highest in early childhood (1.31 g/kg at 6 months) and falls with age. EFSA’s table starts at 6 months; this tool is not for younger infants.