How Much Protein Is “High” (and How to Calculate Yours in 10 Seconds)
10 seconds to find your protein number, and finally define “high”
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How Much Protein Is “High” (and How to Calculate Yours in 10 Seconds)
Protein advice gets confusing because “high” depends on kidney status, as we mentioned yesterday.
If your kidneys are healthy, going above the minimum can support muscle and appetite control. If you have chronic kidney disease (CKD), “high protein” can be the wrong move—guidelines advise avoiding very high intake and often targeting lower ranges depending on stage and comorbidities.1,2
If you do NOT have kidney disease:
Think of protein like a seatbelt for fat loss and aging: it won’t do the work for you, but it makes results safer and more sustainable.
10-second math:
Weight (lb) ÷ 2.2 = kg
Minimum (RDA): 0.8 × kg = grams/day
The recommended daily protein intake for healthy, sedentary adults is 1.2–1.6 grams g/kg of body weight, sufficient to meet basic needs.3
Common “optimal” range for active adults / fat loss / recomposition: ~1.2–1.6 g/kg/day.4 Many people do well here, but if we compare with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, personal requirements may likely be higher.
Shortcut: aim for 25–35 g per meal, 3 meals/day (75–105 g/day).
If you HAVE kidney disease (CKD, proteinuria, low eGFR):
In CKD, protein is less like a seatbelt and more like engine load: you want enough to prevent muscle loss, but not so much that you’re constantly revving the engine.
What many guidelines recommend (stage-dependent):
KDIGO advises avoiding high protein intake (>1.3 g/kg/day) in adults with CKD at risk of progression.1
KDOQI 2020 suggests 0.55–0.60 g/kg/day for metabolically stable CKD stage 3–5 (and 0.6–0.8 g/kg/day for CKD stage 3–5 with diabetes).2
If you’re on dialysis, protein needs are often higher (this should be individualized with your renal team).2
Safe message for CKD readers: use a kidney-specific target set with your clinician/renal dietitian.
P.S. If you’re on a GLP-1, protein loss is the risk almost no one mentions. I strongly recommend getting informed—I break it down step-by-step here:
See you tomorrow for your next 1-Minute Health Tip.
To your zenith within,
Sara Redondo, MD, MS
References:
Levin A, Stevens PE, Bilous RW, Coresh J, De Francisco ALM, De Jong PE, et al. Executive summary of the KDIGO 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease.
Ikizler TA, Burrowes JD, Byham-Gray LD, Campbell KL, Carrero JJ, Chan W, et al. KDOQI Clinical Practice Guideline for Nutrition in CKD: 2020 Update. Am J Kidney Dis. 2020;76(3 Suppl 1):S1-S107. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2020.05.006.
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030.
Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, Schoenfeld BJ, Henselmans M, Helms E, 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. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608.