Excess Protien

leakewh
leakewh Posts: 91 Member
in Food and Nutrition
First off, I have always been told that "excess" protein is a bad thing to have in your diet because any that is not synthesized will turn into fat....-

I read somewhere (and it makes sense to me) that as long as you don't go over your caloric goals, that "excess" protein wont turn into fat...

I also read that the average person can only synthesize between 25-30 grams of protein in one sitting...

So my question is...

If I have a high protein diet that doesn't exceed my daily caloric goals, but does exceed the normal levels that my body can synthesize on a daily basis, what happens to the "excess" protein...?

Replies

  • Aiiryfairy
    Aiiryfairy Posts: 35 Member
    I'm not sure, but I'd like to find out the answer too :) bump!
  • Ally_93
    Ally_93 Posts: 45 Member
    Wow. I've never heard of this before. Very good question. I want to know too
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
    Ah protein myths.
    So you're right. Protein will not turn into on a deficit. Synthesize isn't really the right word here in my opinion. Your body can use 30-40ish grams of protein every few hours for muscle anabolism.
    When you consume protein your body breaks it down into amino acids. These amino acids that aren't used for anabolism support other tissues and organs (kidneys, liver, heart, brain), so don't worry about eating too much protein. Anything that isn't used by your body then converts into glucose, or energy.
  • sarwatf
    sarwatf Posts: 60 Member
    No clue re limits for synthesis, but essentially excreted via your kidneys if not "used" by your body. Hence I believe if you have kidney issues then very high protein diets can be problematic , if not , should not be a major cause for concern. Can't see your diary , so don't know how much protein you are talking about. I am very much a layperson and not a medic , and there are others on here who will doubtless know a lot more than I do about it !
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    It's calories in vs calories out. Protein, carbs, and fats all have the potential in turning into fat if you eat more than you burn.
  • fleetzz
    fleetzz Posts: 962 Member
    Not exactly---protein is broken down into the amino acids that construct it, then are used by the body. Any not used for repair or protein construction are utilized by the body as storage. However, there are more byproducts of protein metabolism that require excretion by the kidneys, which is why if you have a high protein diet you need to have lots of fluids and healthy kidneys. This is why people in kidney failure have a limited protein intake.
    No clue re limits for synthesis, but essentially excreted via your kidneys if not "used" by your body. Hence I believe if you have kidney issues then very high protein diets can be problematic , if not , should not be a major cause for concern. Can't see your diary , so don't know how much protein you are talking about. I am very much a layperson and not a medic , and there are others on here who will doubtless know a lot more than I do about it !
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    i eat about 220 grams of protein a day and so far on most recent cut am down 8 pounds and body fat is around 13%...

    eat less than you consume and you lose...eat more than you consume and you will start to gain ...
  • looking4au
    looking4au Posts: 85 Member
    High protein diets are hard on the kidney's and can cause kidney stones along with other things. The university of Maryland website has a good protein calculator. Its based on age, height, weight and physical activity.
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
    High protein diets are hard on the kidney's and can cause kidney stones along with other things. The university of Maryland website has a good protein calculator. Its based on age, height, weight and physical activity.

    That's a myth (and probably the most annoying protein myth)
  • Wetcoaster
    Wetcoaster Posts: 1,788 Member
    I have posted this a few times....well worth 13 minutes to watch.


    Dr Layne Norton who has a PHD in protein metabolism.

    BioLayne Video Log 4 - Myths About Protein

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjmV8BlsJTQ&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLEEE569A5A86E2E19
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    First off, I have always been told that "excess" protein is a bad thing to have in your diet because any that is not synthesized will turn into fat....-

    Excess calories promote fat gain.
    I read somewhere (and it makes sense to me) that as long as you don't go over your caloric goals, that "excess" protein wont turn into fat...

    If you are under your maintenance caloric intake then you will be oxidizing more fat than you will be storing. You will not "accumulate" fat in an energy deficit.
    I also read that the average person can only synthesize between 25-30 grams of protein in one sitting...

    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/is-there-a-limit-to-how-much-protein-the-body-can-use-in-a-single-meal/

    You can use more than that although there's research indicating that protein synthesis peaks around 30g if I recall correctly. However, further increases in protein continue to prevent protein breakdown, and if your concern is muscle gain or muscle retention, prevention of protein breakdown contributes towards this goal. So even if you are exceeding what can be used to maximize protein synthesis, you would still be "using" that protein towards the eventual goal of muscle gain/retention.


    If I have a high protein diet that doesn't exceed my daily caloric goals, but does exceed the normal levels that my body can synthesize on a daily basis, what happens to the "excess" protein...?

    You can use a buttload of protein on a daily basis but generally speaking if you were consuming far more than you needed you would oxidize it for fuel.

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