How Much Protein Do You Need?
Protein is not just a macronutrient - it is a structural and regulatory backbone of human physiology. Adequate intake supports muscle development, tissue repair, bone health, and post-exercise recovery, and it’s required for the production of enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters, and immune mediators. It also influences satiety (the feeling of fullness), metabolic rate, and blood sugar control, helping prevent overeating and post-meal blood sugar swings. In short: a diet that undershoots on protein rarely optimizes longevity, body composition, or metabolic health.
✨ So how much protein do you need each day?
This question has renewed importance as GLP-1 agonists such as semaglutide become increasingly common for weight loss and metabolic disease. While these medications can dramatically improve cardiometabolic markers, they can also suppress appetite to the point where total calorie and protein intake drop below physiologic needs. The result in some patients: loss of lean body mass, nutritional insufficiency, and in extreme cases, clinical malnutrition. Appetite suppression does not discriminate - it will happily pull protein down with it unless intentionally countered.
The current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 g/kg/day for adults. However, the RDA represents a minimum threshold required to prevent deficiency - not a target optimized for body composition, metabolic health, or healthy aging.
Minimal Protein Intake is not Optimal Protein Intake
Optimal protein intake is not a one-size-fits-all - it depends on age, sex, activity level, body composition goals, and total calorie intake. For most adults, particularly those aiming to preserve strength, metabolic efficiency, and lean mass across midlife, protein targets are higher than the RDA.
Practical protein intake targets I use in practice:
1.5–2.0 g/kg/day based on current body weight (note, you need to convert pounds to kilograms for this equation)
OR
0.7–0.8 g/lb/day based on ideal body weight (this calculation is based on pounds)
OR
For those tracking body composition: ~1 g/lb/day of lean mass (total body weight minus body fat)
These ranges are consistent with the emerging literature on sarcopenia prevention, metabolic health, and strength-based aging.
The Bigger Picture
Protein intake is not just about hitting a number - it influences how you age. Maintaining lean mass improves glucose disposal, metabolic flexibility, resting metabolic rate, mobility, and fracture risk. It is one of the most accessible, modifiable levers for healthy longevity.
Note: Protein needs should be personalized. Medical conditions, kidney function, current medications, and health goals matter. Individualized guidance is essential.
Are you ready to take the next step? I can help! As a board-certified Integrative & Functional Medicine physician and Certified Menopause Specialist, I can help you “think outside of the box and dig deeper with a variety of laboratory testing to help uncover the root causes of your symptoms, and create a plan personalized for you that goes beyond the prescription pad to incorporate diet/lifestyle change, nutritional supplements, holistic therapies, health coaching and more! Contact us to get started!