Building muscle mass requires a higher protein intake. But eating too much protein is not safe.

So you’re trying gain weight. How to increase your protein will eating improve your performance in the gym?

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is currently 0.36 grams of protein per pound, or about 54 grams for a 150-pound person. But diet experts are increasingly pushing for more protein: 60 to 90 grams per day.

Registered Dietitian Jamie Nadeau tells USA TODAY that she recommends getting “at least 20 grams of protein per meal for satiety,” although she notes that everyone’s needs are different.

If you’re trying to build muscle, this amount may be even higher. But you can go too far with protein. Here’s how nutrition experts recommend finding that sweet spot.

How much protein to build muscle?

People should consume at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, Nadeau said. This roughly equates to a minimum of 54.4 grams of protein per day for a 150-pound person.

But if you’re trying to build muscle, adding more protein will help your body’s “growth, development and tissue repair.” Harvard Health.

“Everyone is different, but for most healthy people looking to build muscle, it’s good to aim for 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein per kg,” says Nadeau. In other words, the goal is 81.6 to 95.2 grams for a 150-pound person.

Increasing your protein intake doesn’t have to be a difficult ordeal: finding a protein powder you don’t find gross or constantly cooking huge amounts of meat. While many meats contain much more protein, other foods such as lentils, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, black beans and peanut butter do too.

“To keep it simple, I recommend choosing a good source of protein at every meal and trying to include at least one snack a day that contains at least 5-10 grams of protein,” says Nadeau.

Want to eat more protein? Consider adding chicken to your diet. Here’s why.

What are the symptoms of excess protein in the body?

There can be too much of a good thing, even when it comes to nutrition.

A very high protein diet increases your risk of developing kidney stones, according to Harvard Health. And depending on what protein-rich foods you eat, large amounts of red meat or other foods high in saturated fat may increase your risk of heart disease and colon cancer.

More: Which protein powder is best? Nutritionist shares the ‘healthiest’ kind.

“It’s definitely possible to eat too much protein,” Nadeau says. She recommends keeping protein intake to less than 2 g/kg protein.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How much protein should you eat to build muscle?