too much protein?

Sarahsue94

Is it that big of a deal to eat too much protein? My protein limit on MFP is 57g and so far today I have eaten about 112. Is this a problem? Lately I have mostly been running, yoga, and Jillian Micheal DVD's so no weight lifting (which I do while I am at college).

LetsMakeupXtina

I am over on my protein too by quite a bit.. curious to see the responses.

Nanba007

You can do 1gm of protein, per pound of weight.

JustPeachy044

had a dietician/nurse tell me too much protein can be hard on the kidneys. I do tend to eat more protein than she recommended though...

jzammetti

I always eat 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass (sometimes a little more). All the reading I've done suggests .8 -1.0 gram per pound of lean body mass is correct.

sunsnstatheart

If 112 is dangerous I'd be dead by now. Simply, answer no. That's not even high.

takumaku

Flip a coin. There will be some schools who say yes, while others will say no. I am in the latter camp. As an example, I had a dietition who told me, as a runner, I only require 15% protein and I should be consuming 60%+ carbs. However, when I tried to follow the dietition's recommendations, I kept getting cravings. I informed my doc and got a suggestion to increase my protein and decrease my carbs based on family history.

The general suggestion on the board seems to be 1 gram per Lean Body Weight as long as you have no medical history. Even this is debatable because some say Lean Body Weight, while others will state just Body Weight.

agataarchangel

On a blood test I was indicating VERY high levels of Creatinine at one point, indicating kidney function equal to that of a 60-65-year old....

After telling my doctor I was taking in extra protein (food/supplement/bars etc...) I was told to drink more water, as this was the cause of the high levels.

As long as you're taking in extra water to aid your kidneys in the break-down of any additional protein, you shouldn't worry.... but not drinking enough water while ingesting extra WAY down the line, or over an extended period of time CAN lead to reduced kidney function, because they're being made to work extra hard to break it all down... so help them out- drink lots of water if taking in a lot of it.

I wouldn't WORRY about it though; as long as your blood tests (standard) come back normal, you've struck a balance :-)

sunsnstatheart

Apologies if my earlier post sounded too snarky. Here's a good answer: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/823505-research-on-protien-intake

Short answer though is still, no.

abuchfinck

MFP says I'm at 89 protein today and my goal is supposed to be 63 so I get an F in meeting the goal on here but this is where I felt good in my protein intake today...so I'm not too worried about it. I'm way below on my fats and carbs though...but again its where I felt good today so I just focused on calories.

toddis

I think if your protein exceeds say (edit :35%?) of your daily caloric intake it is an issue...otherwise you should be fine.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16779921

barbaramitchell101

I increased my protein to 2x what MFP states...usually I use a high protein shake...I have better luck with this...also, recently I have had a gluten problem, so I've had to eliminate some of the wheat products...of course, lately I have had to eat nutrient rich food to combat the fatigue that comes with this....I am most of the time meeting the levels put forth by MFP, just an increase in protein....

etoiles_argentees

On a blood test I was indicating VERY high levels of Creatinine at one point, indicating kidney function equal to that of a 60-65-year old....

After telling my doctor I was taking in extra protein (food/supplement/bars etc...) I was told to drink more water, as this was the cause of the high levels.

As long as you're taking in extra water to aid your kidneys in the break-down of any additional protein, you shouldn't worry.... but not drinking enough water while ingesting extra WAY down the line, or over an extended period of time CAN lead to reduced kidney function, because they're being made to work extra hard to break it all down... so help them out- drink lots of water if taking in a lot of it.

I wouldn't WORRY about it though; as long as your blood tests (standard) come back normal, you've struck a balance :-)

Don't forget your liver!

Metabolic Functions of the Liver

Hepatocytes are metabolic superachievers in the body. They play critical roles in synthesizing molecules that are utilized elsewhere to support homeostasis, in converting molecules of one type to another, and in regulating energy balances. If you have taken a course in biochemistry, you probably spent most of that class studying metabolic pathways of the liver. At the risk of damning by faint praise, the major metabolic functions of the liver can be summarized into several major categories:

Carbohydrate Metabolism

It is critical for all animals to maintain concentrations of glucose in blood within a narrow, normal range. Maintainance of normal blood glucose levels over both short (hours) and long (days to weeks) periods of time is one particularly important function of the liver.

Hepatocytes house many different metabolic pathways and employ dozens of enzymes that are alternatively turned on or off depending on whether blood levels of glucose are rising or falling out of the normal range. Two important examples of these abilities are:

Excess glucose entering the blood after a meal is rapidly taken up by the liver and sequestered as the large polymer, glycogen (a process called glycogenesis). Later, when blood concentrations of glucose begin to decline, the liver activates other pathways which lead to depolymerization of glycogen (glycogenolysis) and export of glucose back into the blood for transport to all other tissues.
When hepatic glycogen reserves become exhaused, as occurs when an animal has not eaten for several hours, do the hepatocytes give up? No! They recognize the problem and activate additional groups of enzymes that begin synthesizing glucose out of such things as amino acids and non-hexose carbohydrates (gluconeogenesis). The ability of the liver to synthesize this "new" glucose is of monumental importance to carnivores, which, at least in the wild, have diets virtually devoid of starch.


Fat Metabolism

Few aspects of lipid metabolism are unique to the liver, but many are carried out predominantly by the liver. Major examples of the role of the liver in fat metabolism include:

The liver is extremely active in oxidizing triglycerides to produce energy. The liver breaks down many more fatty acids that the hepatocytes need, and exports large quantities of acetoacetate into blood where it can be picked up and readily metabolized by other tissues.
A bulk of the lipoproteins are synthesized in the liver.
The liver is the major site for converting excess carbohydrates and proteins into fatty acids and triglyceride, which are then exported and stored in adipose tissue.
The liver synthesizes large quantities of cholesterol and phospholipids. Some of this is packaged with lipoproteins and made available to the rest of the body. The remainder is excreted in bile as cholesterol or after conversion to bile acids.


Protein Metabolism

The most critical aspects of protein metabolism that occur in the liver are:

Deamination and transamination of amino acids, followed by conversion of the non-nitrogenous part of those molecules to glucose or lipids. Several of the enzymes used in these pathways (for example, alanine and aspartate aminotransferases) are commonly assayed in serum to assess liver damage.
Removal of ammonia from the body by synthesis of urea. Ammonia is very toxic and if not rapidly and efficiently removed from the circulation, will result in central nervous system disease. A frequent cause of such hepatic encephalopathy in dogs and cats are malformations of the blood supply to the liver called portosystemic shunts.
Synthesis of non-essential amino acids.
Hepatocytes are responsible for synthesis of most of the plasma proteins. Albumin, the major plasma protein, is synthesized almost exclusively by the liver. Also, the liver synthesizes many of the clotting factors necessary for blood coagulation.

onyxgirl17

MFP has too low of a protein recommendation.

cjsacto

I have a hard time getting enough protein and I'm always trying to add. A lot of people here increase their macros to 30% protein (instead of 15%) / 30% fat/ 40% carbs. I am under 20% protein and when I log my exercise MFP usually tells me to have about 80-100g.

Around 100g isn't that much, though you should break it up among your meals. There is research about how much protein your body can process at once (don't have the stats).

agataarchangel

On a blood test I was indicating VERY high levels of Creatinine at one point, indicating kidney function equal to that of a 60-65-year old....

After telling my doctor I was taking in extra protein (food/supplement/bars etc...) I was told to drink more water, as this was the cause of the high levels.

As long as you're taking in extra water to aid your kidneys in the break-down of any additional protein, you shouldn't worry.... but not drinking enough water while ingesting extra WAY down the line, or over an extended period of time CAN lead to reduced kidney function, because they're being made to work extra hard to break it all down... so help them out- drink lots of water if taking in a lot of it.

I wouldn't WORRY about it though; as long as your blood tests (standard) come back normal, you've struck a balance :-)

Don't forget your liver!

Metabolic Functions of the Liver

Hepatocytes are metabolic superachievers in the body. They play critical roles in synthesizing molecules that are utilized elsewhere to support homeostasis, in converting molecules of one type to another, and in regulating energy balances. If you have taken a course in biochemistry, you probably spent most of that class studying metabolic pathways of the liver. At the risk of damning by faint praise, the major metabolic functions of the liver can be summarized into several major categories:

Carbohydrate Metabolism

It is critical for all animals to maintain concentrations of glucose in blood within a narrow, normal range. Maintainance of normal blood glucose levels over both short (hours) and long (days to weeks) periods of time is one particularly important function of the liver.

Hepatocytes house many different metabolic pathways and employ dozens of enzymes that are alternatively turned on or off depending on whether blood levels of glucose are rising or falling out of the normal range. Two important examples of these abilities are:

Excess glucose entering the blood after a meal is rapidly taken up by the liver and sequestered as the large polymer, glycogen (a process called glycogenesis). Later, when blood concentrations of glucose begin to decline, the liver activates other pathways which lead to depolymerization of glycogen (glycogenolysis) and export of glucose back into the blood for transport to all other tissues.
When hepatic glycogen reserves become exhaused, as occurs when an animal has not eaten for several hours, do the hepatocytes give up? No! They recognize the problem and activate additional groups of enzymes that begin synthesizing glucose out of such things as amino acids and non-hexose carbohydrates (gluconeogenesis). The ability of the liver to synthesize this "new" glucose is of monumental importance to carnivores, which, at least in the wild, have diets virtually devoid of starch.


Fat Metabolism

Few aspects of lipid metabolism are unique to the liver, but many are carried out predominantly by the liver. Major examples of the role of the liver in fat metabolism include:

The liver is extremely active in oxidizing triglycerides to produce energy. The liver breaks down many more fatty acids that the hepatocytes need, and exports large quantities of acetoacetate into blood where it can be picked up and readily metabolized by other tissues.
A bulk of the lipoproteins are synthesized in the liver.
The liver is the major site for converting excess carbohydrates and proteins into fatty acids and triglyceride, which are then exported and stored in adipose tissue.
The liver synthesizes large quantities of cholesterol and phospholipids. Some of this is packaged with lipoproteins and made available to the rest of the body. The remainder is excreted in bile as cholesterol or after conversion to bile acids.


Protein Metabolism

The most critical aspects of protein metabolism that occur in the liver are:

Deamination and transamination of amino acids, followed by conversion of the non-nitrogenous part of those molecules to glucose or lipids. Several of the enzymes used in these pathways (for example, alanine and aspartate aminotransferases) are commonly assayed in serum to assess liver damage.
Removal of ammonia from the body by synthesis of urea. Ammonia is very toxic and if not rapidly and efficiently removed from the circulation, will result in central nervous system disease. A frequent cause of such hepatic encephalopathy in dogs and cats are malformations of the blood supply to the liver called portosystemic shunts.
Synthesis of non-essential amino acids.
Hepatocytes are responsible for synthesis of most of the plasma proteins. Albumin, the major plasma protein, is synthesized almost exclusively by the liver. Also, the liver synthesizes many of the clotting factors necessary for blood coagulation.

Agreed! In my situation they never checked the liver because the Kidney thing checked-out once I started drinking more, but this must be considered also. :-)