How many grams of protein do you need?

On average, healthy adults need enough protein to equal approximately 10 to 35 percent of their total calorie intake. Daily, this number equates to about 46 grams of protein for women and 56 grams of protein for men. However, some adults need more protein than others.

According to WebMD, pregnant women and women who are nursing need 10 to 20 more grams of protein per day than they did before becoming pregnant because their bodies are using many more calories. Similarly, people who are very active sometimes need as much as 50 percent more protein daily than people who lead sedentary lifestyles.