How much protein to build muscle

Per day and per meal, worked out for your body weight. · 2 min read · Updated October 1, 2026

In short: A large meta-analysis found extra protein stopped adding lean mass at around 1.6 g per kg of body weight a day on average, with a plausible range up to about 2.2 g/kg. Spread it as roughly 0.4 g/kg per meal over four or more meals. Here’s the table for your weight.

How we made this guide: we built it from the research below and checked every number against it: Morton et al., protein meta-analysis (2018); Schoenfeld & Aragon, protein per meal (2018); ISSN position stand on protein and exercise (2017); Trommelen et al., protein dose study (2023).

Most protein advice is either a single number (“1 gram per pound”) or a vague “eat more.” The research gives a range, and the range depends on your body weight.

How much per day

A meta-analysis by Morton and colleagues (2018) pooled 49 trials with 1,863 healthy adults doing resistance training, with protein supplementation. Protein intakes above about 1.6 g per kg of body weight per day did not add further lean-mass gains on average. That figure is a modeled estimate with a wide range around it: the plausible upper end was about 2.2 g/kg, and the authors suggest that aiming near 2.2 g/kg may be prudent if you want to maximize lean-mass gains.

The International Society of Sports Nutrition (Jäger et al., 2017) gives a similar range: 1.4–2.0 g/kg a day is enough for most people who exercise.

How much per meal

Schoenfeld and Aragon (2018) worked out a practical split: about 0.4 g/kg per meal, across at least four meals, which reaches 1.6 g/kg a day. At 2.2 g/kg a day over four meals, that becomes up to about 0.55 g/kg per meal.

Body weight	Per day (1.6–2.2 g/kg)	Per meal at the 1.6 g/kg floor, 4 meals (0.4 g/kg)
130 lb (59 kg)	95–130 g	~25 g
150 lb (68 kg)	110–150 g	~25 g
170 lb (77 kg)	125–170 g	~30 g
190 lb (86 kg)	140–190 g	~35 g
210 lb (95 kg)	150–210 g	~40 g

Calculated from the ranges above and rounded to the nearest 5 g.

Is there a limit per meal?

You’ll often read that your body can only use 20–30 g of protein at a time. A 2023 study by Trommelen and colleagues (Cell Reports Medicine) found that 100 g of protein after exercise produced a larger and longer-lasting muscle-building response (over 12 hours) than 25 g. That was a lab study of one meal, not a training study, so it doesn’t mean you should eat 100 g at once. It suggests a bigger meal isn’t simply wasted.

What this means day to day

Hit the daily number first. The 1.6–2.2 g/kg range is for the whole day; the per-meal split is a practical way to reach it.
Then spread it out. Four meals or snacks of roughly 0.4 g/kg each is an easy target to remember.
Older lifters: the meta-analysis found the effect of protein supplementation on lean mass was smaller with increasing age. Treat the table as a starting point.

Know your real number

It’s easy to guess your protein intake wrong. Logging a week of meals shows whether you actually reach the range. We built My Track Record so logging a meal is one spoken sentence, and we estimate the protein for you.

See how much protein you really eat, one sentence per meal.
Get My Track Record on the App Store

By Andrew, founder of My Track Record. Andrew has been active all of his life across a variety of sports and continues to stay active through climbing, swimming, weight training, golfing, snowboarding, and more. He built My Track Record so logging food and training takes one spoken sentence and can support any activity. He puts these guides together from published sports science research cited on each page. About Andrew

Sources

Morton RW, et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376–384. Source
Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA. How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018;15:10. Source
Jäger R, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20. Source
Trommelen J, et al. The anabolic response to protein ingestion during recovery from exercise has no upper limit in magnitude and duration in vivo in humans. Cell Rep Med. 2023;4(12):101324. Source

General information for healthy adult lifters, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or have a history of disordered eating, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before changing how you eat.