How many
protein shakes you need per day depends on your protein needs, as this varies with age and can increase significantly with physical activity, injury, and/or illness. While you can get adequate amounts of protein through diet, protein powder can help bridge the gap for any deficiencies.
According to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), you need at least 0.8 g of protein/kg of body weight/day (g/kg/d) to meet the body’s most basic nutritional needs and between 1.0-2.0 g/kg/d if you are physically active [
2,
3,
4]. While you can meet these needs with dietary sources, you can supplement with protein shakes; for instance, if you’re trying to increase muscle, strength, or endurance, one to two protein shakes a day can help offset muscle damage and promote muscle repair after a workout [
1].
However, be careful to not go overboard, as excessive protein consumption may cause digestive problems, such as nausea, bloating, cramping, flatulence, and diarrhea.