The specifics, since they change the answer: 112 kg · 1,000 kcal.
I would like the arithmetic checked rather than the conclusion asserted.
I have deliberately not used an online calculator because I want to be able to check the result.
Can someone walk through the arithmetic step by step?
179 to 246 g a day. The range the resistance-training literature supports is 1.6 to 2.2 g per kilogram, which at 112 kg is 179–246 g. At 4 kcal per gram that is 717–986 kcal, or 72–99 per cent of a 1,000 intake — which is why protein has to be planned first at this energy level rather than fitted in afterwards. Split it across three or four servings; roughly 0.4 g/kg per meal saturates the synthetic response and the surplus in one large serving does not carry over.
The relevant physiology is the per-meal saturation of the synthetic response, which is why one large serving does not substitute for three moderate ones.
The leucine threshold for triggering the response is around two and a half to three grams per meal. Thirty grams of most animal protein reaches it; thirty grams of many plant proteins does not, which is why plant-based targets run higher.
| Method | Measures | Sensitive to | Least significant change |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEXA | Three-compartment by attenuation | Hydration, positioning | ~2–3 % regional lean |
| BIA (consumer) | Impedance, modelled | Hydration, food, temperature | Not usable at this timescale |
| Air displacement | Two-compartment by density | Lung volume, hair, clothing | ~1–2 % fat mass |
| Tape and scale | Circumference, mass | Technique | Surprisingly usable as a trend |
High protein intakes do not damage healthy kidneys in the published evidence; existing kidney disease is a genuine exception and is a clinical question.
Meta-analytic estimates place the plateau of the dose-response for lean-mass retention with resistance training around 1.6 g/kg, with a confidence interval extending to about 2.2.
1.6 to 2.2 g/kg of reference weight, split three or four ways. That is the answer.
Analytical standards and reagents with traceable certificates. Every quantitative result you read inherits the accuracy of the standard behind it.
Shop standardsPlant-based patterns need somewhat higher totals and more attention to leucine content per serving to produce an equivalent response.
Use reference or adjusted body weight rather than total weight where adiposity is substantial: a common approach is ideal body weight plus a quarter of the excess, which avoids targets that no one could eat.
A practical construction: 30 to 40 grams at each of three meals plus a 20 to 30 gram snack covers most targets without any protein powder at all.
Systematic reviews of high-protein intake in people with normal renal function have not found evidence of harm to kidney function.
Targets are population estimates; individual requirements vary and there is no cheap way to measure yours.
Plant-based patterns need a higher total and more attention per serving.
Answer first: aim for 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of reference body weight per day, distributed across three or four servings, and treat it as the first constraint on the day rather than the last.
Hydration requirements rise modestly with protein intake because urea excretion increases, which is a real effect and a small one.
Per meal, roughly 0.4 grams per kilogram saturates the synthetic response in most adults, which is about 30 to 40 grams for a typical person. Beyond that the surplus is oxidised or used for other purposes rather than adding to synthesis.
Leucine threshold effects are documented across protein sources and explain the difference in per-serving requirements between animal and plant proteins.
Healthy kidneys tolerate this fine. Diseased ones are a clinical question.
edited 11 Jan 2025 by Dr_Rosalind_Achebe — removed a claim I could not source
Start with which body weight the target is calculated from, because using total weight in someone with substantial adiposity inflates the number without benefit.
Appetite suppression makes protein-rich foods harder to eat because they are satiating. Liquid protein and leaner, less voluminous sources are the usual practical workaround.
Nothing here is dietetic or medical advice.
Plan protein first in the day; with suppressed appetite it will not happen otherwise.
edited 12 Dec 2024 by Dr_Yusuf_Adeyemi — expanded the table to cover the lower concentration
The short version: total daily protein first, per-meal distribution second, timing a distant third.
Older adults need more per meal to overcome anabolic resistance, with 1.2 to 1.5 g/kg daily commonly quoted for maintenance and more in a deficit.
Stable-isotope feeding studies establish the per-meal saturation of muscle protein synthesis at around 0.4 g/kg in young adults and higher in older ones.
Per-meal saturation is real. One enormous serving does not do the job of three.
Ask PeptideStack is a static archive. Posting is closed, but the norms are worth stating: answer the question that was asked, show your working, cite the trial or the certificate, and say plainly where the evidence runs out.