How much protein makes sense?

Example: at 70 kg, 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg comes to about 84 to 112 g a day, and 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg to about 98 to 140 g.^[1][2]

Above 3 g/kg there are only first hints from small studies with strength athletes.^[2] For most people this is not a sensible target.

With a BMI over 25, DGE calculates from normal weight, not current weight.^[6] That is a good guide here too, or the number quickly gets needlessly high.

The German Nutrition Society (DGE) gives 0.8 g/kg for adults under 65 and estimates 1.0 g/kg from 65.^[6] EFSA gives 0.83 g/kg.^[7] These values describe what healthy people need for adequate supply. They are the lower limit, not the best amount for losing weight or training.

An analysis of 24 studies with 1,063 people compared diets with equal calories. With more protein, weight fell by 0.79 kg more on average, and 0.43 kg more fat-free mass was kept. The studies ran for 12 weeks on average. 3 of 5 studies also found more satiety.^[10]

In a study of 39 adults in a deficit, a smaller share of the weight lost was fat-free mass with 1.6 and 2.4 g/kg than with 0.8 g/kg.^[4]

A review describes the effect on satiety as modest. Over long periods the results are more mixed, mainly because many people do not keep to the plan.^[1] So more protein does not replace a deficit, but it makes the deficit kinder to your muscles.

Resistance training is the stimulus, and protein supports it. An analysis of 49 studies with 1,863 people found that added protein brought more strength and on average 0.30 kg more fat-free mass. The effect was larger in trained people and fell with age.^[3]

An analysis of 74 studies paints a similar picture: under 65, the benefit showed from 1.6 g/kg, and from 65 already at 1.2 to 1.59 g/kg, in both cases with resistance training.^[12]

In a trial with 40 young men in a large deficit and training on 6 days a week, participants on 2.4 g/kg gained more lean mass and lost more fat than on 1.2 g/kg.^[5] This was a hard 4-week trial, not everyday life.

• Plan about 25 to 30 g of protein per meal.^[1]
• Spread it over the day, about every 3 to 4 hours.^[2]
• Good sources are quark, yoghurt, eggs, fish, poultry, tofu and pulses.

In the app you can enter protein if you want to, or tick off portions on the protein way.

For healthy kidneys, the data do not suggest so. An analysis of 28 studies with 1,358 adults without kidney disease found no unfavourable change in kidney function.^[11]

This does not apply if you have kidney disease. In that case we do not recommend higher amounts. The same goes for diabetes: if you state either in the safety questions, you see neither the protein way nor protein hints. In these cases, talk to your doctor. DGE gives separate values for pregnancy and breastfeeding.^[6]