How to use it
“Sex” and “Age” are all you need for a result. The Korean standard fixes a daily gram value for each age and sex group, so the other inputs only add supporting figures.
- Sex: choosing “Female” brings up the “Pregnancy / breastfeeding” menu. Pick “Not applicable”, “Pregnant, 1st trimester (to week 13)”, “Pregnant, 2nd trimester (weeks 14–27)”, “Pregnant, 3rd trimester (week 28+)” or “Breastfeeding”.
- Age: a whole number from 1 to 120.
- Weight (optional): 5 to 300 kg. From age 19 it adds “For my weight” to the result. “Recommended intake” stays the same.
- “I do strength or endurance training regularly”: adds the “If you train” range if you are 19 or older and have entered a weight.
A line under “Recommended intake” names the age group the value came from, for example “Standard: 2025 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (male, 30–49 years)”.
Protein in the 2025 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans
South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare spent three years preparing this standard with the Korean Nutrition Society and released it on December 31, 2025. The National Nutrition Management Act requires a revision every five years. The standard was first drawn up in 2015 and revised in 2020, which makes this the second revision. It gives two values for protein, and the calculator shows them under the same two names.
- Average requirement (평균필요량): the amount that meets the needs of half the population. The 2020 edition set the adult value at 0.73 g per kg of body weight.
- Recommended intake (권장섭취량): the amount with enough margin to meet the needs of 97–98% of the population. It is the average requirement multiplied by 1.25 (a coefficient of variation of 12.5%), which came to about 0.91 g per kg for adults in the 2020 edition. The 2025 revision keeps the adult grams-a-day values the same as in 2020.
The standard turns these into one daily gram value per age and sex group. The calculator finds the row for your age and sex in the table below.
| Age | Recommended intake, male | Average requirement, male | Recommended intake, female | Average requirement, female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | 20 g | 15 g | 20 g | 15 g |
| 3–5 | 25 g | 20 g | 25 g | 20 g |
| 6–8 | 35 g | 30 g | 35 g | 30 g |
| 9–11 | 50 g | 40 g | 45 g | 40 g |
| 12–14 | 60 g | 50 g | 55 g | 45 g |
| 15–18 | 65 g | 55 g | 55 g | 45 g |
| 19–29 | 65 g | 50 g | 55 g | 45 g |
| 30–49 | 65 g | 50 g | 50 g | 40 g |
| 50–64 | 60 g | 50 g | 50 g | 40 g |
| 65–74 | 60 g | 50 g | 50 g | 40 g |
| 75 and over | 60 g | 50 g | 50 g | 40 g |
Additions for pregnancy and breastfeeding
These amounts are added to the values for a woman of the same age who is not pregnant.
| Stage | Added to the recommended intake | Added to the average requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 1st trimester | 0 g | 0 g |
| 2nd trimester | 10 g | 8 g |
| 3rd trimester | 30 g | 25 g |
| Breastfeeding | 25 g | 20 g |
A 32-year-old woman has a recommended intake of 50 g and an average requirement of 40 g. With “Pregnant, 3rd trimester (week 28+)” they become 80 g and 65 g, and with “Breastfeeding” 75 g and 60 g. “Pregnant, 1st trimester (to week 13)” leaves both numbers as they were.
Acceptable macronutrient distribution range
The 2025 standard puts the energy that comes from protein at 10–20% of total daily energy. The 2020 standard had it at 7–20%, and the ministry says it raised the lower end in light of research on how carbohydrate and protein intake relate to mortality. Protein supplies 4 kcal per gram, so on 2,000 kcal a day the range works out to 50–100 g. The calculator does not ask for calories, so it does not work this share out for you.
Reading the result
Enter male, 35, 70 kg and tick the training box, and you get four numbers.
- Recommended intake, 65 g/day: the standard’s value for men aged 30–49. Clear the weight or change it and this stays put.
- Average requirement, 50 g: the average requirement for the same group.
- For my weight, 64 g: 70 kg × 0.9125 g (0.73 g × 1.25) = 63.9 g, rounded. If you chose a pregnancy or breastfeeding stage, the addition to the recommended intake is added on top.
- If you train, 84–140 g: 70 kg × 1.2 g and 70 kg × 2.0 g. This range is not part of the Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans. It comes from the 2016 joint position of the American College of Sports Medicine and two other organizations.
Under the result, “Good to know” has one line for each number saying how it was worked out.
What this calculator leaves out
- You cannot enter an age under 1.
- The table values are set for a whole age and sex group, so if your weight is far from that group’s average, “For my weight” differs a lot from them. The calculator shows the two side by side and does not tell you which to follow.
- It does not account for conditions that can call for limiting protein, such as kidney or liver disease. “Good to know” on the result also tells you to talk to your doctor.