Too much protein?

janellnicole2

I am on a 1200/day limit, MFP has my protein at 45g (higher of course with my exercise added in). I go over on protein EVERYDAY. I am a very picky eater as far as veggies and fruit go, so I do eat alot of chicken/lean meat. Is there a limit I should stay under? Any negative effects for eating so much protein?

MsElphaba

It is my understanding that MFP has the protein set on the low side and most people either reset it manually or just accept going over. I go over just about every day. If you are strength training, your body needs the protein to help repair and build muscle so don't skimp on it. I think you would have to eat A LOT over to have any harmful effects and I also think it would be next to impossible to eat a harmful amount and still stay in your calorie limit.

Amarillo_NDN

artical @ http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=50900

Too Much Protein
So think twice when you consider sacrificing the carbohydrates for a protein-dominant diet, Butterfield says. Drastically cutting carbohydrates from your diet may force your body to fight back.

She says that's because a diet in which protein makes up more than 30% of your caloric intake causes a buildup of toxic ketones. So-called ketogenic diets can thrust your kidneys into overdrive in order to flush these ketones from your body. As your kidneys rid your body of these toxic ketones, you can lose a significant amount of water, which puts you at risk of dehydration, particularly if you exercise heavily.

That water loss often shows up on the scale as weight loss. But along with losing water, you lose muscle mass and bone calcium. The dehydration also strains your kidneys and puts stress on your heart.

And dehydration from a ketogenic diet can make you feel weak and dizzy, give you bad breath, or lead to other problems.

How Much Protein Do I Need?
The amount of protein you require depends on your weight and your daily caloric intake. Most Americans consume more than enough protein in their daily diets. A few specific groups of people are at risk for being protein-deficient, including elderly women and people with illnesses or eating disorders. A protein deficiency is defined as eating 50% to 75% of the recommended amount of daily protein, Butterfield explains.

Ideally, you should consume 0.36 grams of protein for every pound of body weight, according to recommended daily allowances (RDA) set by the Food and Nutrition Board. So if you weigh 170 pounds, you need about 61 grams of protein each day.

Protein should also make up approximately 15% of your total daily caloric intake, also according to the RDA. In a diet of 1,800 calories a day, for example, about 270 of those calories should come from protein.

McGruber03

I agree with the above...it's very hard to stay within or under what MFP says you need as far as protein goes. That's b/c all foods with the exception of fruit and fat have protein. Meat, veggies, bread..etc, all contain protein. I learned in my nutrition class that your kidneys are safe if you stay within around double your RDA, unless of course, you already have a kidney condition. We were taught to calculate protein needs as 0.8 grams/kg which is exactly the same as 0.36 grams/lb. Either way works, I like the 0.36 better...it's easier! So, if you are calculating that you need 50 grams of protein, no negative health effects have been shown at doubling that amount. However, protein has 4 calories per gram, and we know that excess calories are stored as fat. Wouldn't it be nice if excess calories from protein was stored as muscle!!!