How much protein do athletes need?
1.2–2.2g per kilogram of bodyweight per day depending on the sport, training load and whether calories are restricted.
High Protein Foods for Athletes
Athletes need more protein than sedentary adults, but the number depends on the sport: strength athletes sit at the top of the range, endurance athletes slightly lower, team-sport athletes in between.
Broadly: 1.6–2.2g per kilogram for strength and power, 1.2–1.6g for endurance, 1.4–1.8g for team sports. During heavy training blocks or a calorie deficit, move toward the upper end.
Total daily intake matters most. Timing is a refinement: a protein source within a few hours of training and an even spread across meals.
Athlete-friendly protein sources
Protein and calories per 100g, from the Protein Hunter database.
| Food | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 🥤 Whey protein isolate | 90g | 400 |
| 🥛 Casein protein | 80g | 360 |
| 🐔 Chicken breast (cooked) | 31g | 179 |
| 🦃 Turkey breast (cooked) | 30g | 175 |
| 🐟 Tuna (canned in water) | 29g | 131 |
| 🥩 Beef sirloin (cooked) | 29g | 196 |
| 🐟 Salmon (cooked) | 25g | 250 |
| 🍢 Tempeh | 19g | 193 |
| 🥚 Whole egg | 13g | 155 |
| 🌾 Rolled oats (dry) | 13g | 389 |
| 🧀 Cottage cheese (low-fat) | 12g | 72 |
| 🥣 Greek yogurt (plain, 0%) | 10g | 59 |
| 🌾 Quinoa (cooked) | 4.4g | 120 |
| 🥛 Whole milk | 3.4g | 61 |
Per 100g.
Practical rules by sport
- Strength/power: 4–5 feedings of 35–45g across the day.
- Endurance: pair protein with carbohydrate after long sessions; recovery is limited by glycogen as much as by amino acids.
- Combat sports making weight: raise protein to the top of the range while calories drop, to protect muscle.
- Team sports with two sessions a day: a milk or whey drink between sessions is the simplest way to close the gap.
Add up your whole meal
Type what you ate in plain words and Protein Hunter returns protein and calories for the full plate.
Try the Protein CalculatorCommon questions
Is protein timing important?
Much less than total daily intake. Getting protein within a few hours of training is enough for almost everyone.
Do endurance athletes need protein?
Yes — 1.2–1.6g per kilogram. Endurance training damages muscle protein too, and repair needs amino acids.
Keep reading
Protein CalculatorAdd up any meal in plain words.Protein database230+ foods with protein and calories.How much protein per daySet the target these foods feed into.What is Protein Hunter?
Protein Hunter is a protein and nutrition app with a database of 232 foods — from a leaf of kale to a wagyu steak — plus AI tools that answer protein questions, count a whole meal, build recipes to a macro target, and track what you actually eat.
- Search any food
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- Recipes to your macros
- Scan a plate or label
Why it's different: the numbers are calculated from a fixed ingredient database rather than guessed, and when a target is not physically achievable the app says so instead of inventing a figure.
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