How Much Protein Do You Actually Need Per Day? RDA vs Reality
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The "RDA" number gets quoted constantly, but it's often misunderstood. Here's what it actually means, and what more realistic targets look like depending on who you are.
What RDA actually means
The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for protein is 0.8g per kg of body weight per day. This number is set to prevent deficiency in a sedentary, generally healthy adult — it's a floor, not an optimal target. It was never designed to reflect what someone who exercises, is losing weight, or is older actually needs to thrive.
How much different people actually need
| Who | Recommended intake | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary healthy adult (RDA baseline) | 0.8 g/kg/day | Prevents deficiency only |
| Health-conscious general adult | 1.2–1.6 g/kg/day | Better muscle maintenance and satiety than bare RDA |
| Active / exercising individuals | 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day (ISSN position stand) | Building and maintaining muscle mass |
| Resistance-trained, in a calorie deficit (cutting/weight loss) | 2.3–3.1 g/kg/day | Preserving muscle while losing fat — protein needs rise, not fall, during a deficit |
| Older adults (65+) | 1.0–1.2 g/kg/day (PROT-AGE guidance) | Combats age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia), supports bone and immune health |
The per-meal sweet spot
Per the ISSN position stand, roughly 0.25g of protein per kg of body weight, or about 20-40g, is considered a solid dose per meal — which lines up with what we covered in our article on how the body actually absorbs protein.
How to work out your own number
Take your body weight in kg and multiply it by the range that fits your situation from the table above. A 70kg person who exercises regularly, for example, lands somewhere around 98-140g per day — noticeably more than the 56g the bare RDA would suggest.
An important note if you're overweight
If your BMI is over 30, using your actual body weight in these formulas can overstate your real protein need — an "adjusted body weight" calculation (which a doctor or dietitian can help with) is generally more accurate.
Where D8 fits
At 24g of protein per bar, a D8 bar sits right in that 20-40g per-meal sweet spot — a genuinely useful, pre-measured way to close the gap between what a normal day of eating gives you and what your actual target is, without having to do the maths every time.
Shop D8 Double Chocolate & Peanut Salted Caramel →
This article shares general nutrition guidance and isn't medical advice. If you have kidney disease, are pregnant, or have another condition affecting protein needs, consult your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing your intake.