To Your Health’s Daily Protein Intake Calculator
Welcome to our protein calculator page! Here you will find two things to help you optimize your daily protein intake:
1. Our Daily Protein Intake Calculator.
Using the latest peer-reviewed studies and scientific panel recommendations, this tool will calculate your optimal daily amount of protein, personalized for you based on your gender, age, weight, and level of activity.
2. A Guide to Protein-Rich Foods.
Once you have calculated your daily protein target, this guide will help you find the foods that are highest in protein and incorporate them into your diet. The guide covers meat, seafood, dairy, and plant-based protein sources with estimated grams of protein per serving, so you can easily measure how much protein you are getting in each meal.
So go ahead and use the calculator below, then download the Guide to Protein-Rich Foods.
Thanks for visiting the page, and here’s to your health!
Daily Protein Intake Calculator
A science-based tool that calculates personalized daily protein recommendations for adults based on gender, age, weight, and activity level.
Daily Protein Intake Calculator
A science-based tool that calculates personalized daily protein recommendations for adults based on gender, age, weight, and activity level.
Download the Guide to Protein-Rich Foods
Featuring over 60 protein-rich foods categorized into meat & poultry, seafood, dairy, and plant-based sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is protein so important in maintaining good health?
Protein is the body’s primary building material — it maintains and repairs muscle, supports immune function, regulates hormones, and powers cellular metabolism. For aging adults especially, adequate protein directly combats sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss.
Who is this calculator meant for?
This calculator is for adults age 18-100. It is meant for a broad spectrum of laypeople and covers a wide variety of athletic activity. It is especially useful for middle-aged women (age 40-64) and men and women in their senior years (age 65+), recommending protein intake levels to combat sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss.
Does To Your Health collect personal information or email addresses from users of this calculator?
No. The calculator is free and no information about the user is saved. We offer this calculator as a public service to educate people and help them reach their optimal protein level.
What makes this calculator different from other protein calculators on the internet?
Many online protein calculators (e.g. USDA calculator) rely on outdated science, producing minimum dietary targets that fall short of current recommended levels. This calculator is different — it draws on the latest peer-reviewed research to deliver age-specific protein ranges calibrated separately for adults 18–39, 40–64, and 65+. It further adjusts by gender, weight, and activity level, giving a recommendation that is personalized to the user’s specific profile.
What scientific studies and recommendations does the calculator draw from?
In building the calculator, we conducted extensive research, drawing on findings and recommendations from over a dozen peer-reviewed studies, scientific papers, and clinical guidance sources. Notably, we drew from the PROT-AGE Study Group, the Mayo Clinic, and the International Society of Sports Nutrition. A full list of scientific references can be found here.
Does this calculator account for muscle loss in middle-aged adults and the elderly?
Yes! The calculator factors in recommendations made by scientists to increase protein intake in middle age (age 40-64) and senior years (age 65+), specifically to combat muscle loss that can occur in these age groups.
I take GLP-1 medication, which can cause muscle loss. Does this calculator account for that?
While the calculator does not directly address GLP-1 drugs, it does address increased muscle loss that can occur starting at age 40. As research on GLP-1-caused muscle loss becomes available, we will update the calculator accordingly. For GLP-1 users, we suggest that you use the calculator, then discuss the recommended protein target with your health care provider to see if they recommend more protein in your diet.
Does eating more protein mean just eating more meat and dairy?
No. There are a wide variety of plant-based foods that contain ample amounts of protein. Many vegetarians manage to eat enough protein without ever eating meat. See our Guide to Protein-Rich Foods for an extensive list of plant-based foods that will provide protein in your diet.
The calculator has a 150 grams per day cap and does not recommend daily amounts of protein above this cap. Why?
The calculator is meant to serve a broad spectrum of the population under generalized conditions. We created the 150g/day cap because higher intakes are often more individualized and may warrant review by a registered dietician or health care provider, especially for people with kidney disease, very high body weight, extreme training demands, or other medical considerations.