Such thing as too much protein?

Options
What if you added protein powder/ate protein for every meal? What are the side effects of consuming too much?

Or...
Are there any negative consequences from eating a very high protein diet?
«134

Replies

  • JoshRodenberg
    Options
    It's pretty hard to get too much protein imo unless you are drinkin protein shakes like sodas. I would think you could get some uncomfortable gas :)
  • nerdehgirl
    nerdehgirl Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    Uncomfy gas and constipation. So stay hydrated, and make sure you include lots of fiber in your diet too.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
    Options
    I eat a ton of protein, typically 150 to 200 g per day (which is a lot for someone my size), and it's mostly in the form of meat. I don't have any gastrointestinal issues. There are differing schools of thought on how much protein your body can absorb at one time (for instance, if you eat 100 g in one meal, does your body really absorb all of it?), but, in general, I have pretty much concluded that it's impossible to consume so much that it actually causes harm to your body.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    Options
    What if you added protein powder/ate protein for every meal? What are the side effects of consuming too much?

    Or...
    Are there any negative consequences from eating a very high protein diet?

    too much of anything is not good. Your body will have to convert the excess proteins to energy and discard the nitrogen. I'm no expert, but I think this puts an extra load on your kidneys and liver.
  • peachfigs
    peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
    Options
    What if you added protein powder/ate protein for every meal? What are the side effects of consuming too much?

    Or...
    Are there any negative consequences from eating a very high protein diet?

    too much of anything is not good. Your body will have to convert the excess proteins to energy and discard the nitrogen. I'm no expert, but I think this puts an extra load on your kidneys and liver.

    I thought this too. Surely too much protein can't be good.

    Again, not an expert either, but I know that protein can come out in your urine if you eat a lot of it, that doesn't sound good to me?
  • HIITMe
    HIITMe Posts: 921 Member
    Options
    too much protein can hurt the kidney...HOWEVER, too much is relative... and unless you already have some underlying condition, getting the amount that would be considered too much is damn near impossible for most to do...
  • bulldog46208
    Options
    Yes there are risks to eating too much protein:
    1. The body will take excess protein that it does not need and store it as fat.
    2. Too much protein has been proven to cause cancer, especially animal based protein. (Source: "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell)
    3. Too much protein may damage the kidneys.
    Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/434329-the-dangers-of-too-much-protein/

    The World Health Organization recommends a daily requirement of 0.8 mg of protein per kg of body weight. For those who are overweight, their ideal weight may be used. This requirement is a target rather than an upper or lower limit.

    There are two very good resources to compare different diets, including high protein diets such as Paleo, Dukan, and Medifast.
    1. "The Diet Selector" by Judith Rodriguez.
    2. U.S. News and World Reports:
    http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-overall-diets
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Options
    What if you added protein powder/ate protein for every meal? What are the side effects of consuming too much?

    Or...
    Are there any negative consequences from eating a very high protein diet?

    too much of anything is not good. Your body will have to convert the excess proteins to energy and discard the nitrogen. I'm no expert, but I think this puts an extra load on your kidneys and liver.

    This ^^

    How much is too much may vary, but there is always a point where it can be too much.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Options
    Yes there are risks to eating too much protein:
    1. The body will take excess protein that it does not need and store it as fat.
    2. Too much protein has been proven to cause cancer, especially animal based protein. (Source: "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell)
    3. Too much protein may damage the kidneys.
    Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/434329-the-dangers-of-too-much-protein/

    The World Health Organization recommends a daily requirement of 0.8 mg of protein per kg of body weight. For those who are overweight, their ideal weight may be used. This requirement is a target rather than an upper or lower limit.

    There are two very good resources to compare different diets, including high protein diets such as Paleo, Dukan, and Medifast.
    1. "The Diet Selector" by Judith Rodriguez.
    2. U.S. News and World Reports:
    http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-overall-diets

    Please explain how the body stores excess protein in a caloric deficit?

    Also, are you serious using The China Study, one of the most ripped apart and debunked studies ever, as a source of info?? lol

    Between that and Livestrong and other books and article, you may want to consider getting your info from more credible sources.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Options
    too much protein can hurt the kidney...HOWEVER, too much is relative... and unless you already have some underlying condition, getting the amount that would be considered too much is damn near impossible for most to do...

    Why would it be hard? If you eat so much protein that you don't get enough other nutirents (macro or micro), it's too much. If you eat so much protein that you become overweight, it's too much. If you eat so much protein that you suffer GI distress, it's too much. If you eat so much protein that you damage your organs, it's too much.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Options
    MFP sets protein too low. To set your macros, check out this link: 

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets 

    Also, it's hard to have too much protein. 

    "It has been observed that the human liver cannot safely metabolise much more than 285-365 g of protein per day (for an 80 kg person), and human kidneys are similarly limited in their capability to remove urea (a byproduct of protein catabolism) from the bloodstream. Exceeding that amount results in excess levels of amino acids, ammonia (hyperammonemia), and/or urea in the bloodstream, with potentially fatal consequences,[1] especially if the person switches to a high-protein diet without giving time for the levels of his or her hepatic enzymes to upregulate. Since protein only contains 4 kcal/gram, and a typical adult human requires in excess of 1900 kcal to maintain the energy balance, it is possible to exceed the safe intake of protein if one is subjected to a high-protein diet with little or no fat or carbohydrates. However, given the lack of scientific data on the effects of high-protein diets, and the observed ability of the liver to compensate over a few days for a shift in protein intake, the US Food and Nutrition Board does not set a Tolerable Upper Limit nor upper Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range for protein.[2] Furthermore, medical sources such as UpToDate[3] do not include listings on this topic." 

    Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_starvation
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Options
    too much protein can hurt the kidney...HOWEVER, too much is relative... and unless you already have some underlying condition, getting the amount that would be considered too much is damn near impossible for most to do...

    Why would it be hard? If you eat so much protein that you don't get enough other nutirents (macro or micro), it's too much. If you eat so much protein that you become overweight, it's too much. If you eat so much protein that you suffer GI distress, it's too much. If you eat so much protein that you damage your organs, it's too much.

    Nice fear mongering based on speculation. The answer is in the post right after yours. It is very difficult to consume the amount of protein that would cause any health problems. Try dealing in data (which based on our last discussion on this subject, you don't have) instead of speculation.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    Options
    Yes there are risks to eating too much protein:
    1. The body will take excess protein that it does not need and store it as fat.
    2. Too much protein has been proven to cause cancer, especially animal based protein. (Source: "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell)
    3. Too much protein may damage the kidneys.
    Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/434329-the-dangers-of-too-much-protein/

    The World Health Organization recommends a daily requirement of 0.8 mg of protein per kg of body weight. For those who are overweight, their ideal weight may be used. This requirement is a target rather than an upper or lower limit.

    There are two very good resources to compare different diets, including high protein diets such as Paleo, Dukan, and Medifast.
    1. "The Diet Selector" by Judith Rodriguez.
    2. U.S. News and World Reports:
    http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-overall-diets

    Please explain how the body stores excess protein in a caloric deficit?

    Also, are you serious using The China Study, one of the most ripped apart and debunked studies ever, as a source of info?? lol

    Between that and Livestrong and other books and article, you may want to consider getting your info from more credible sources.

    The exact metabolic processes of converting protein into stored fat is complex, but my understanding is that your body first has to discard the excess nitrogen in your urine and then stores the carbon just like any other carbo or fat.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Options
    too much protein can hurt the kidney...HOWEVER, too much is relative... and unless you already have some underlying condition, getting the amount that would be considered too much is damn near impossible for most to do...

    Why would it be hard? If you eat so much protein that you don't get enough other nutirents (macro or micro), it's too much. If you eat so much protein that you become overweight, it's too much. If you eat so much protein that you suffer GI distress, it's too much. If you eat so much protein that you damage your organs, it's too much.

    Nice fear mongering based on speculation. The answer is in the post right after yours. It is very difficult to consume the amount of protein that would cause any health problems. Try dealing in data (which based on our last discussion on this subject, you don't have) instead of speculation.

    Oh silly me for not consulting Wikipedia before I posted. :huh:
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
    Options
    Yes, too much protein can be bad for your kidneys but it would be very hard to get to these levels. The most you will probably suffer is a bit of constipation which you can shift with plenty of fibre (fruit, fruit juices, veg etc.)
  • Lib_B
    Lib_B Posts: 446 Member
    Options
    it can be bad on your kidneys and liver. but most people don't consume enough to encounter this.
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
    Options
    Eh, you can get constipated and gassy as previously stated. I've eaten as much as 200gms. I never did it daily. I didn't have any side effects other than getting the intended results for what I was doing.

    I've heard people say it's hard on your kidneys. Well, I dunno, drink tons of water like you're supposed to and maybe things will flush out better. Maybe if your kidneys are in bad condition, consult your doctor.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Options
    too much protein can hurt the kidney...HOWEVER, too much is relative... and unless you already have some underlying condition, getting the amount that would be considered too much is damn near impossible for most to do...

    Why would it be hard? If you eat so much protein that you don't get enough other nutirents (macro or micro), it's too much. If you eat so much protein that you become overweight, it's too much. If you eat so much protein that you suffer GI distress, it's too much. If you eat so much protein that you damage your organs, it's too much.

    Nice fear mongering based on speculation. The answer is in the post right after yours. It is very difficult to consume the amount of protein that would cause any health problems. Try dealing in data (which based on our last discussion on this subject, you don't have) instead of speculation.

    Oh silly me for not consulting Wikipedia before I posted. :huh:

    Did you ever hear the expression "Empty barrels make the most niose"?
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Options
    Yes there are risks to eating too much protein:
    1. The body will take excess protein that it does not need and store it as fat.
    2. Too much protein has been proven to cause cancer, especially animal based protein. (Source: "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell)
    3. Too much protein may damage the kidneys.
    Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/434329-the-dangers-of-too-much-protein/

    The World Health Organization recommends a daily requirement of 0.8 mg of protein per kg of body weight. For those who are overweight, their ideal weight may be used. This requirement is a target rather than an upper or lower limit.

    There are two very good resources to compare different diets, including high protein diets such as Paleo, Dukan, and Medifast.
    1. "The Diet Selector" by Judith Rodriguez.
    2. U.S. News and World Reports:
    http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-overall-diets

    Please explain how the body stores excess protein in a caloric deficit?

    Also, are you serious using The China Study, one of the most ripped apart and debunked studies ever, as a source of info?? lol

    Between that and Livestrong and other books and article, you may want to consider getting your info from more credible sources.

    The exact metabolic processes of converting protein into stored fat is complex, but my understanding is that your body first has to discard the excess nitrogen in your urine and then stores the carbon just like any other carbo or fat.

    Close enough. If someone is in a calorie deficit, what would the net fat storage be in 24 hours? From all macronutrients including protein?
  • loril13
    loril13 Posts: 320 Member
    Options
    This is great information and resources. Thank you.