I would like to know what to measure as much as what to do.
I am trying to do this correctly the first time rather than learn it by getting it wrong.
I have already made one mistake here that cost me a vial, so I am being deliberately careful.
What does a defensible version of this look like in practice?
Answering this needs to know whether appetite is suppressed, because in this class the practical problem is achieving intake rather than choosing a target.
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.
| Body mass | 1.2 g/kg | 1.6 g/kg | 2.0 g/kg | Per meal at 1.6 (÷3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62 kg | 74 g | 99 g | 124 g | 33 g |
| 74 kg | 89 g | 118 g | 148 g | 39 g |
| 88 kg | 106 g | 141 g | 176 g | 47 g |
| 103 kg | 124 g | 165 g | 206 g | 55 g |
| 124 kg | 149 g | 198 g | 248 g | 66 g |
At roughly 4 kcal per gram, 141 g of protein is about 564 kcal — a substantial fraction of a 900 kcal budget, which is the real constraint.
The underlying point is that 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.
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.
Targets are population estimates; individual requirements vary and there is no cheap way to measure yours.
Plan protein first in the day; with suppressed appetite it will not happen otherwise.
Aggregated, published test results and vendor ratings built from submitted batches. Methodology stated, dataset browsable, no listing fees.
Browse resultsThe honest answer is that most people in a deficit fall well short, and closing that gap matters more than any refinement above it.
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.
High protein intakes do not damage healthy kidneys in the published evidence; existing kidney disease is a genuine exception and is a clinical question.
Research-use compounds are not approved for human use, and no supplement substitutes for total intake.
1.6 to 2.2 g/kg of reference weight, split three or four ways. That is the answer.
edited 11 Feb 2025 by ayo_fadipe — corrected a unit error in the worked example
To be exact about it, 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.
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.
Mechanically, hydration requirements rise modestly with protein intake because urea excretion increases, which is a real effect and a small one.
Nothing here is dietetic or medical advice.
Plant-based patterns need a higher total and more attention per serving.
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.