Too much protein? bad or good?

hbuchanan1228

I am consistantly over my protein count by 15 - 25g daily. Is this bad? or good?

kkwellness

I dont think it is bad as long as you are drinking water. Protein is a great body builder and although it is higher in calories it does not store as fat like carbs. If you are training with weights its optimal- just don't go over your pounds in weight ( 100 pounds =100 grams)

Naomi91

Well actually there are 4 calories for every gram of protien, and 4 calories for every gram of carbohydrate. So it really isnt higher in calories xD And dont worry about it. Protein is amazing! I got 170g of protien today and I only weigh 130. More protein less carbs for me. Not elimating them though. Protein gives me energy and keeps me going. and power through my workouts

jsecret

I've heard multiple times that the general protein count on here is way off. Don't worry about being over on the protein (I'm over by as much as 45 on some days!) just make sure you're balancing it out with other fruits, veggies, carbs, etc. Also if you click the search button at the top and look up too much protein I'm sure you'll find a ton of useful information!

taso42_DELETED

Good topic.. I am very interested in this. Can someone explain how it doesn't store as fat like carbs? Where does the unused protein end up?

Suppose I'm at my calorie limit and I take in, say 23 or 46 extra grams of protein (100-200 calories using Met-Rx as an example). What are the implications of that?

Naomi91

Carbohydrates turn into glucose once they enter the GI tract, and give burst of energy but can be used up durning physical activity. Extra Carbs will usually either 1.) convert to glycogen and enter the muscle (makign them big) or turn into fat. Protien Is completely destroyed and used up in the GI tract however. When your body runs out of glucose it will go to break down muscle and fat. So extra protien will help you from losing too much muscle.

Altho you will want to stay within your calorie limit :]

CarlitaK

Carbohydrates turn into glucose once they enter the GI tract, and give burst of energy but can be used up durning physical activity. Extra Carbs will usually either 1.) convert to glycogen and enter the muscle (makign them big) or turn into fat. Protien Is completely destroyed and used up in the GI tract however. When your body runs out of glucose it will go to break down muscle and fat. So extra protien will help you from losing too much muscle.

Altho you will want to stay within your calorie limit :]

Great info and I love your quote at the bottom! My mom always said that to me growing up! made me smile

em_mar_10

I am too!! I've only had breakfast and lunch so far today and I am already over my protein limit according to this site. Very strange, I think! I have been over the limit of protein for everyday. I also go over fat by a little bit by the end of the day, but have never used up all the carbs. I wonder if the ratio of these items could use some tweaking.

katiewcurlz

I'm in the same boat, my husband makes the most awesome hummus ever, and when I eat it with veggies and fruit over lunch, I'm stuffed. I'm not concerned about too much, but I want to make the most of it.

Have you heard that you need Calcium to absorb Vitamin D (or vice versa maybe?) Is there a compliment to protein like this that I should be focusing on?

cacrat

Naomi has it right. There is no store in the body for protein. The body can use excess dietary protein and break down the amino acids and use it for fuel. It will further be used to rebuild muscle tissue. But unlike carbs, protein has no direct store. The protein count on MFP is WAY low. Upwards of 2g/lb is fine. I usually stick to around 200g a day (1.2g/lb). And no, there is no compliment for protein. Protein can be eaten by itself and be fully used, for the most part.

kimwig

Carbohydrates turn into glucose once they enter the GI tract, and give burst of energy but can be used up durning physical activity. Extra Carbs will usually either 1.) convert to glycogen and enter the muscle (makign them big) or turn into fat. Protien Is completely destroyed and used up in the GI tract however. When your body runs out of glucose it will go to break down muscle and fat. So extra protien will help you from losing too much muscle.

Altho you will want to stay within your calorie limit :]

Uh, the protein bit does not ring true!...

It was my understanding of biochemical pathways that protein is broken to amino acids. Amino acids are then used for the creation of the bodies proteins (muscle, enzymes, etc etc)

As the body does not store amino acids (it can synthesize all but 8 of the ones it needs) excess amino acids are then broken down (depending on which amino acid they are) to either glucose (for use as energy or to be stored) or converted to lipids (for fat storage).

As such protein in excess of that required will be converted to a storage product (such as fat).

Also when you run out of glucose, you body will go to its glycogen stores, when those run out then it will go to its fat stores primarily, and will only take from muscle a small amount.

Eating a lot of protein does not build you more muscle, only exercise builds you muscle. Eating a lot of protein can (like other foods) make you gain weight (if you are above your calorie allowance)

kimwig

Naomi has it right. There is no store in the body for protein. The body can use excess dietary protein and break down the amino acids and use it for fuel. It will further be used to rebuild muscle tissue. But unlike carbs, protein has no direct store. The protein count on MFP is WAY low. Upwards of 2g/lb is fine. I usually stick to around 200g a day (1.2g/lb). And no, there is no compliment for protein. Protein can be eaten by itself and be fully used, for the most part.

I am not sure where your figures are from, as the recommended dietary levels for protein ( for your everyday person) is 0.84g per kg body weight for males and 0.75g per kg body weight for females.

2g / lb is way way above recommended requirements as that would be around 4.5 g per kg!

backinthenines

Protein requirements can't be generalised as they differ by gender, size, and particularly activity levels.

There...

http://www.exrx.net/Nutrition/Protein.html

Tomastomat

i eat roughly 2.5g - 3g of protein per kg of bodyweight.

weightloss without HARD weightlifting and a excess of protein ends up with you loosing muscle at the same time as your loosing fat, which will make you look "thin fat" in the end, heavy exercise and alot of protein limits the loss of muscle mass whilst loosing fat which in the end will give you better bodycomposition.

myofibril

Carbohydrates turn into glucose once they enter the GI tract, and give burst of energy but can be used up durning physical activity. Extra Carbs will usually either 1.) convert to glycogen and enter the muscle (makign them big) or turn into fat. Protien Is completely destroyed and used up in the GI tract however. When your body runs out of glucose it will go to break down muscle and fat. So extra protien will help you from losing too much muscle.

Altho you will want to stay within your calorie limit :]

Uh, the protein bit does not ring true!...

It was my understanding of biochemical pathways that protein is broken to amino acids. Amino acids are then used for the creation of the bodies proteins (muscle, enzymes, etc etc)

As the body does not store amino acids (it can synthesize all but 8 of the ones it needs) excess amino acids are then broken down (depending on which amino acid they are) to either glucose (for use as energy or to be stored) or converted to lipids (for fat storage).

As such protein in excess of that required will be converted to a storage product (such as fat).

Also when you run out of glucose, you body will go to its glycogen stores, when those run out then it will go to its fat stores primarily, and will only take from muscle a small amount.

Eating a lot of protein does not build you more muscle, only exercise builds you muscle. Eating a lot of protein can (like other foods) make you gain weight (if you are above your calorie allowance)

Nice explanation.

I do think however that most people could do with getting a litle more protein into their diet to help with satiety levels etc but there is no reason to take it to extremes.

myofibril

Naomi has it right. There is no store in the body for protein. The body can use excess dietary protein and break down the amino acids and use it for fuel. It will further be used to rebuild muscle tissue. But unlike carbs, protein has no direct store. The protein count on MFP is WAY low. Upwards of 2g/lb is fine. I usually stick to around 200g a day (1.2g/lb). And no, there is no compliment for protein. Protein can be eaten by itself and be fully used, for the most part.

I am not sure where your figures are from, as the recommended dietary levels for protein ( for your everyday person) is 0.84g per kg body weight for males and 0.75g per kg body weight for females.

2g / lb is way way above recommended requirements as that would be around 4.5 g per kg!

It's 1.5g or above per kg of lean body mass.

2g per lb of total weight is ridiculously high....

kimwig

Naomi has it right. There is no store in the body for protein. The body can use excess dietary protein and break down the amino acids and use it for fuel. It will further be used to rebuild muscle tissue. But unlike carbs, protein has no direct store. The protein count on MFP is WAY low. Upwards of 2g/lb is fine. I usually stick to around 200g a day (1.2g/lb). And no, there is no compliment for protein. Protein can be eaten by itself and be fully used, for the most part.

I am not sure where your figures are from, as the recommended dietary levels for protein ( for your everyday person) is 0.84g per kg body weight for males and 0.75g per kg body weight for females.

2g / lb is way way above recommended requirements as that would be around 4.5 g per kg!

It's 1.5g or above per kg of lean body mass.

2g per lb of total weight is ridiculously high....

I was just quoting Govt nutritional guidelines for normal person, it is a little higher for athletes etc I believe

myofibril

I was just quoting Govt nutritional guidelines for normal person, it is a little higher for athletes etc I believe

Sorry, I should have made myself clearer. It wasn't the guideline amounts you were citing that I was seeking to clarify but the 1.5g - 3g recommendations for protein which floats around the body building / figure athlete subculture.

It's 1.5g - 3.0g of protein per KG (not lb) of LEAN body mass (not total weight.)

Alternatively,

1g - 1.5g of protein per LB of TOTAL weight.

I see these numbers get confused all the time. Whatever calculation you use, the top figures (ie 3g per kg of LBM or 1.5g per lb of total weight) are for really for the competitive body builder type...

cacrat

True,excess protein will be stored as fat. But only if you are eating an excess in calories. Excess calories, regardless of source will likely turn into fat. However, excess protein that is consumed under the your daily maintenence requirements, will either be oxidized, used, or excreted. Thus, if I were to have as my minimum calorie load, my basal metabolic rate, at 2000cal, I could eat 500g of protein without any of it turning to fat. Yes, there are a number of other things wrong with this diet, I'm just explaining the point. As far as protein requirements, its true that the RDA recommends a lower protein intake in favor of a higher carbohydrate intake. Yet, the RDA, and other studies, recognize that there is no carbohydrate requirement in the body. I'm not saying there's a right or wrong amount of protein for everyone, like has been said, it will depend on activity level, diet, and a host of other factors.

When I said 2g/lb is fine, I meant healthy and non harmful. However, it wouldn't be ridiculously high either. EXAMPLE: 150lb person eating 225g protein = 900cal/day. If we're basing this on what the RDA typical 2000cal diet, we're still left with 1100cal for the day. 50g fat = 450cal, and about 162g (650cal) of carbs would make that figure work. And that's not including any exercise.

Even the number in the Paul study found that athletes need to consume more protein than the current USRDA for 0.8 g/kg/day in order to maintain nitrogen balance.

Before anyone jumps off on my numbers as wrong, if you have any knowledge on the subject, you know there is a TON of other factors going into effect here that for the sake of brevity, I'm not getting into.

warmachinejt

uumm protein is the best and I used to eat over 220 grams when I was bulking
Right now I am cutting and I am around 170g of protein and I weight 146. As long as you're having healthy fats, complex carbs and protein you should not worry about macros too much unless you're bulking or cutting for competition which I doubt people on here are :P

cacrat

uumm protein is the best and I used to eat over 220 grams when I was bulking
Right now I am cutting and I am around 170g of protein and I weight 146. As long as you're having healthy fats, complex carbs and protein you should not worry about macros too much unless you're bulking or cutting for competition which I doubt people on here are :P

Very true, maybe I got ahead of myself.