Expert Answer
Is protein 1 gram per pound or per kilogram of body weight?
By Arun Agrahri Last reviewed 1 timecoded source
Quick Answer
Both rules are used - they're just different targets. Huberman (and guest Gabrielle Lyon) use the simple ~1 gram per pound of ideal body weight; Attia and Patrick use 1.2-1.6 g/kg (aiming up to ~2). One gram per pound (~2.2 g/kg) sits at the high end. Calculate on ideal, not current, body weight.
Strong Consensus
on Protein overall
What the Panel Says
Uses the rule of thumb ~1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, mostly from whole foods; guest Gabrielle Lyon specifies ~1g per pound of ideal body weight.
Works in g/kg - targets 1.2-1.6 and aims near 2 g/kg to buffer variability; 1g/lb (~2.2 g/kg) lands at or just above his high end.
“I think when you look at those data you realize it's probably closer to two grams per kilogram or about a gram per pound of body weight”
Peter Attia, on the record @ 00:45
1.2-1.6 g/kg general, up to 2 for recomposition, explicitly calculated on ideal body weight and safe for healthy kidneys.
Frames it per meal - 30-40g per meal, protein and fat before carbs - rather than a single bodyweight multiplier.
His one stated figure is 1.2-2.2 g/kg, from a bone-health context; plant-forward and not muscle-maximalist.
Detailed Answer
This trips people up because the experts genuinely use two different units - and they don't land on the same number. "One gram per pound of body weight" is the simple American gym heuristic Huberman cites, and his guest Dr. Gabrielle Lyon sharpens it to ~1 gram per pound of ideal body weight. Attia and Patrick instead speak in grams per kilogram: 1.2-1.6 g/kg for general health, with Attia aiming near 2 g/kg and Patrick going up to 2 for body recomposition.
Here's the reconciliation. One gram per pound is roughly 2.2 g/kg - so the 1g/lb rule sits at the high end of, or slightly above, Attia's deliberately-high ~2 g/kg target. Neither is wrong; they're a simple rule (1g/lb) versus a more precise range (1.2-2 g/kg).
If you weigh 70 kg (154 lb): the g/kg approach gives ~84-140g/day, while 1g/lb gives ~154g/day. Both are well above the 0.8 g/kg RDA, which all the experts treat as a deficiency floor, not an optimum.
Two things keep you from over- or under-shooting. First, calculate on ideal body weight, not current - Patrick and Lyon both specify this, so a heavier person doesn't inflate the target. Second, anchor to your goal: 1.2-1.6 g/kg is plenty for general health and aging, while pushing toward 1g/lb (≈2 g/kg) makes sense if you're actively building muscle and lifting.
And the universal condition: these numbers assume resistance training - that's what makes the protein work.
Related Questions
Is it 1 gram of protein per pound or per kilogram?
Both rules exist. Huberman uses ~1g per pound of ideal body weight; Attia and Patrick use 1.2-1.6 g/kg (up to ~2). One gram per pound (~2.2 g/kg) is the higher target.
Did Attia say 1 gram per pound?
Attia works in g/kg - 1.2-1.6, aiming near 2. That's close to but generally below the 1g/lb rule; Huberman is the one who uses the per-pound heuristic.
Should I use current or ideal body weight?
Ideal body weight - Patrick and guest Gabrielle Lyon both specify this so the target isn't inflated by excess body fat.
How many grams of protein is that for me?
For a 70 kg (154 lb) person, 1.2-1.6 g/kg is ~84-140g/day and 1g/lb is ~154g/day - both far above the 0.8 g/kg RDA, and both assume resistance training.
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