Protein Essentials: What, When, And How Much

Protein is essential for your body to grow, repair, and function, and it plays a major role in your overall fitness and health. 

This guide breaks down the protein essentials, from hard training to everyday life: what protein does, how much you need, and when intake matters most, using clear evidence-based information you can actually apply. 

It’s a science-backed starting point for anyone who wants a straightforward way to improve their health and genuinely understand how protein works.

What is Protein?

Protein is responsible for far more than just muscle growth. It supports every major process in the body, from repair and growth to movement and overall function, all of which depend on protein at the cellular level (1, 2).

Protein is made up of twenty amino acids, nine of which are called essential amino acids (EAAs) that your body can’t produce itself and must come from your diet (3). 

A food source that contains all nine EAAs is called a complete protein, which includes all animal products and some plant-based sources such as quinoa, amaranth and tofu. 

Foods that lack one or more EAAs are incomplete proteins, commonly found in plant-based sources, but they can be combined to form complete protein sources. These combinations are called complementary proteins. (4, 5)

TIP:

The foundation of your protein intake comes from eating whole foods.

What Protein Does 

Protein supports a huge range of essential functions in your body. Below are some of the most important aspects for your health and fitness.

Muscle repair and growth:

Every workout or daily movement breaks down muscle fibres. Protein provides the raw materials to rebuild them stronger (1, 6).

Hormones and enzymes:

Protein enables the production of enzymes, hormones, and structural molecules that keep your body functioning efficiently (2).

Satiety and weight control:

Protein slows digestion and boosts satiety hormones, helping manage appetite and maintain body composition (7, 8).

Aging and maintaining muscle mass:

Maintaining muscle mass becomes harder as you age, and your body becomes less efficient at using protein. Higher intakes combined with strength training help preserve muscle and bone strength (9, 10).

Recovery and immune function:

Protein supports wound healing, tissue, tendon and ligament repair, and your overall immune system (2, 11).

TIP:
Protective proteins, like antibodies produced by your immune system, help fight disease and they’re made of protein.

How Much Protein You Really Need

1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day is a safe average to aim for, whether you want to build or maintain muscle, recover from training, or stay strong as you age (6).

This number is a practical, evidence-backed baseline that consistently hits the sweet spot for strength, muscle maintenance, and recovery in healthy adults doing resistance (6)

Even if you don’t always work out, hitting this number every day will help you in many ways, as it’s almost always better to have slightly more than not enough protein. 

(see more below under safe ranges and caveats) 

TIP: Example

70 kg (body weight) x 1.6 g (of protein) = ~112 g protein per day.

Safe Ranges and Caveats:

Minimum target: 

Official  Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI, also called the RDA) sits a bit lower. 

For example, in the 19-70 year old age group, it’s recommended: 0.84 g /kg/ per day for men and 0.75 g/kg/per day for females, then rising slightly (about .2g more) for both men and females over 70 years. (12)

Keep in mind this is the absolute minimum for your body’s needs, and recent studies, particularly in older individuals, suggest health benefits of having protein intake levels that significantly exceed the RDA. (13)

Which is why we will stand by the research directed at active or strength-focused adults suggests aiming closer to 1.2‑1.6 g/kg/day to improve lean body mass or maintain muscle. (6)

Higher range: 

At up to 2.0g/kg/day, research shows no harmful effects in healthy adults (14). 

This can be a good number for more active people training hard, whether that be muscle building or endurance work. 

It’s also a common nutritional strategy to increase protein intake to this range in situations such as a calorie surplus/deficit or for general weight control.

The tolerable upper limit seems to be around 3.5g/kg/day for well-adapted subjects (15).

There is little evidence that a high-protein diet is dangerous for healthy individuals, with the main concern being for people with pre-existing kidney disease, whereas high protein intake may then adversely affect kidney function (16).

Intense training: 

During intense endurance or hybrid training, increasing to a 1.8-2.0g/kg/day range is recommended. It may even be higher when calorie deficits, such as those from carbohydrate-restricted training or on rest days (17, 18).

Older adults (70+): 

1.2-1.6/kg/day remains effective and necessary; it’s important to keep protein intake high and combine with resistance training to help counteract age-related anabolic resistance and preserve muscle (13).

When training and nutrition are neglected, muscle mass and strength begin to decline around 40 years of age, and this decline accelerates with age and develops into sarcopenia when left unchecked, particularly in sedentary populations (9).

TIP: Choose the number that best suits your life 

1.6 g/kg/day is a reliable average. 

When to Eat Protein

The best time to eat protein is the time that lets you hit your daily goal. Total intake matters more than timing; choose points in your day that make consistency simple.

If you consistently reach your total (e.g. 100g of protein), your body has what it needs to build and repair, regardless of how you split it up (19, 20).

Protein intake is often split up unevenly throughout the day, leaning more towards dinner. This isn’t necessarily bad, but a simple way to increase your total daily protein and satiation per meal (how full you feel) is to spread it out more evenly (21). 

With a protein target of 1.6g/kg/day, you would need a minimum of 0.4 g/kg/meal across four meals (or your protein goal divided by 4).

There is also research supporting the idea of spreading your protein intake to levels above (0.4 g/kg/meal), for muscle building and adaptations (22, 23).

TIP:

Protein powders provide convenience and consistency.

Pre or Post-Workout Protein

A common question is “how long after a workout do you need to eat protein?”
As mentioned earlier, total daily protein matters most; exactly when you eat it is secondary.

Current research shows that total daily protein intake is what matters most for muscle growth and recovery, not precise timing (24). 

Also, whether you exercise in a fed or fasted state does not appear to impair muscle gain or fat loss, as long as total daily protein and calorie intake remain sufficient (25, 26). 

Distributing protein evenly (or even every 3 hours) across meals throughout the day supports muscle protein synthesis (MPS) to maximise muscle mass gains (27). 

If you train fasted and then go hours without eating, you may end up with fewer solid protein feedings throughout the day.

You don’t need to slam protein before or after a session, but you should make sure your training doesn’t push your total intake too low. For some, that means eating a proper protein meal close to the workout.

TIP: 

Your body works on daily totals, the total amount of nutrients available in your body.

Is This For You?

Increasing your daily protein intake is one of the simplest ways to support your entire body.
We’ve covered why protein, and especially daily protein, is important, and why everyone’s needs differ.

If you want better recovery, muscle growth or maintenance, and overall function, finding your target and consistently hitting it works.

Learning the protein essentials and figuring out your protein goal is the easy part. Sticking to this is where most people fall off.

That’s why I’ve put together a follow-up guide, Protein Maths, a simple system that shows you how to apply all of this in real life and estimate the protein in the foods you already eat.

Have any questions or suggestions? Feel free to contact us here.

References

1. Brody, L. (2025). Protein. Genome.gov. Available at: https://genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Protein [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
2. MedlinePlus (2021). What are proteins and what do they do? MedlinePlus. Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/howgeneswork/protein/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
3. Bates, S. (2020). Amino Acids. Genome.gov. Available at: https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Amino-Acids [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
4. Dietitians Australia (2023). Protein. Dietitians Australia. Available at: https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/health-advice/protein [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
5. Hudson, J.L., Bergia, R.E. & Campbell, W.W. (2020). Protein Distribution and Muscle-Related Outcomes: Does the Evidence Support the Concept? Nutrients, 12(5), 1441. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10561576/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
6. Nunes, E.A., Colenso-Semple, L. & McKellar, S.R. (2022). Systematic review and meta-analysis of protein intake to support muscle mass and function in healthy adults. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 13(2), 795–810. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8978023/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
7. Kohanmoo, A., Faghih, S. & Akhlaghi, M. (2020). Effect of short- and long-term protein consumption on appetite and appetite-regulating gastrointestinal hormones: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Physiology & Behavior, 226, 113123. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938420304376 [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
8. Moon, J. & Koh, G. (2020). Clinical evidence and mechanisms of high-protein diet-induced weight loss. Nutrients, 12(10), 3060. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7539343/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
9. Ardeljan, A.D. & Hurezeanu, R. (2023). Sarcopenia. StatPearls. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560813/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
10. Groenendijk, I., Grootswagers, P. & Santoro, A. (2022). Protein intake and bone mineral density: Cross-sectional relationship and longitudinal effects in older adults. Nutrients, 14(19), 4020. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9891984/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
11. Wang, X., Yu, Z., Zhou, S., Shen, S. & Chen, W. (2022). The effect of a compound protein on wound healing and nutritional status. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9, 850123. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8970868/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
12. National Health and Medical Research Council (2021). Nutrient Reference Values for protein. Eat for Health. Available at: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/nutrient-reference-values/nutrients/protein [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
13. Thomas, D.T., Erdman, K.A. & Burke, L.M. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(3), 501–528. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27807480/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
14. Hoffman, J.R. & Falvo, M.J. (2004). Protein—Which is Best? Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 3(3), 118–130. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26797090/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
15. Fouque, D., et al. (2020). Nutrition in chronic kidney disease. Kidney International Supplements, 10(1), e1–e50. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7460905/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
16. Tipton, K.D. & Wolfe, R.R. (2025). Exercise, protein metabolism, and muscle growth. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 11(1), 109–132. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12152099/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
17. Camera, D.M., et al. (2021). Evaluating the effects of increased protein intake on muscle strength, hypertrophy and power adaptations with concurrent training: A narrative review. Sports Medicine, 51, 1237–1256. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-021-01585-9 [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
18. Nabuco, H.C., et al. (2022). Protein supplementation and lean body mass in adults: a meta-analysis. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316622021897 [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
19. Ferrando, A.A., Wolfe, R.R. & Hirsch, K.R. (2023). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: essential amino acid supplementation on skeletal muscle and performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 20(1). Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3879660/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
20. Hudson, J.L., Bergia, R.E. & Campbell, W.W. (2020). Protein Distribution and Muscle-Related Outcomes: Does the Evidence Support the Concept? Nutrients, 12(5), 1441. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7285146/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
21. Morton, R.W., et al. (2018). 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. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(6), 376–384. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5828430/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
22. Wu, G. (2016). Dietary Protein Intake and Human Health. Food & Function, 7(3), 1251–1265. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4018950/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
23. Antonio, J., Ellerbroek, A., Silver, T., Vargas, L., Tamayo, A., Buehn, R. & Peacock, C.A. (2016). A High Protein Diet Has No Harmful Effects: A One-Year Crossover Study in Resistance-Trained Males. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2016, 9104792. doi:10.1155/2016/9104792.
24. Peeters, W., Cook, L. & Page, O.C. (2023). The effect of pre-exercise protein intake on substrate metabolism, energy expenditure, and energy intake: a dose–response study. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 20(1). doi:10.1080/15502783.2023.2275006.
25. Schoenfeld, B.J. & Aragon, A.A. (2018). How Much Protein Can the Body Use in a Single Meal for muscle-building? Implications for Daily Protein Distribution. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 15(1). Available at: https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1 [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
26. Schoenfeld, B.J., Aragon, A.A. & Krieger, J.W. (2013). The effect of protein timing on muscle strength and hypertrophy: a meta-analysis. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10(1). Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23459753/ [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].
27. Ko, G.-J., Rhee, C.M., Kalantar-Zadeh, K. & Joshi, S. (2020). The effects of high-protein diets on kidney health and longevity. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 31(8). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1681/asn.2020010028 [Accessed 7 Nov 2025].

Share: