Protein recommendations differ because they answer different questions. The official minimum exists to prevent deficiency. The ranges used in strength training exist to support muscle while you train, which is a higher bar.
Both are useful — as long as you know which one you are reading.
The reference ranges
European and international reference values put the population requirement at around 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for healthy adults. That is a floor, not a target for someone who trains.
- General health, little training: 0.8–1.2 g per kg per day
- Regular strength training: 1.6–2.2 g per kg per day
- In a calorie deficit while training: towards the upper end, 1.8–2.4 g per kg
- Older adults: often recommended higher than the minimum, around 1.0–1.2 g per kg
Why the training range is higher
A meta-analysis of resistance-training studies found that protein intake supports gains in strength and muscle up to roughly 1.6 g per kg per day, with little added benefit measured above about 2.2 g.
In a calorie deficit, protein has a second job: it helps you keep the muscle you already have while the total energy is low, and it is the macronutrient most people find the most filling.
Spreading it across the day
Total daily protein matters most, but it is easier to reach a higher total when it is spread across three or four meals of 25–40 g rather than loaded into dinner.
In practice, breakfast is where most people lose protein. Adding a protein source there often closes most of the gap on its own.
What 30 g of protein looks like
Real food gets you there without supplements:
- 120 g cooked chicken breast
- 150 g quark or skyr
- 170 g cottage cheese
- 5 eggs (or 3 eggs plus 100 g quark)
- 200 g cooked lentils plus 30 g cheese
- 150 g firm tofu plus 50 g edamame