Can you eat too much protein?

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wanderingarcher
wanderingarcher Posts: 694 Member
in Food and Nutrition
What do you think?

Within calorie limits, does eating heavier on the protein side have a negative effect that I'm unaware of? Eating more protein helps curb my cravings and also gives me more substance for my workouts, I feel. I do eat other things-- veggies, complex carbs, fats, but I eat a lot of protein with it. I try to balance the protein/carb ratio, but I will eat a bit more carbs on a heavy cardio day if I feel really hungry. Protein sources include: whey powder, LF cottage cheese, LF greek yogurt, lean grassfed meats, eggs, protein bars (low sugar ones).

I'm avg about 145 g protein per day at 214 lbs.

Thanks!

Replies

  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
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    I eat anywhere from 140g to 180g at 125lbs and never had any issues at all. You could up it even at your weight without a problem. I know that eating too much protein can cause issues but we're talking much much more than 145g. Good rule is 1g per lb of body weight
  • SkimFlatWhite68
    SkimFlatWhite68 Posts: 1,254 Member
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    I am 65kg (143lb) and AIM to eat 150g protein a day.

    Works for me. Keeps my appetite under control, but my main aim is to keep my muscles happy :)
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    ISTR that for a healthy person (ie someone with functioning kidneys), the limit is something like 600g a day. (And for someone with kidney problems it's under 100g.)
  • SummerLovesPhil
    SummerLovesPhil Posts: 242 Member
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    Absolutely, and it can cause irreversible kidney damage. The author of The Paleo Diet was pretty explicit about this in his book. I don't know for sure how much is too much, but you should research the question further and/or talk with a dietician.
  • Tdacks
    Tdacks Posts: 136 Member
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    Well I don't know about health implications, but I once went to school with a guy who brought a gallon bucket of scrambled eggs to eat during class every day. He was nobody's favorite person.
  • Guinivere
    Guinivere Posts: 357 Member
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    As long as you keep well hydrated all day every day your kidneys should be fine.

    So two litres or four pints of pure tap or bottled water (no cordials or coffee or tea - that's all extra) should keep you healthy.
  • SWink06
    SWink06 Posts: 73 Member
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    I agree. Too much protein can affect the kidneys, so be sure you're drinking enough water to flush them out. If you're doing that, it should be fine. :)
  • wanderingarcher
    wanderingarcher Posts: 694 Member
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    I did a little online search as well. There seem to be conflicting views. Another thing to just use common sense and pay attention to my own body's responses. And of course drink water; that's good for so many things!

    Thanks, all!
  • Lookmeintheeyes135
    Lookmeintheeyes135 Posts: 40
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    Short term, it can cause constipation!
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    it's extremely difficult to eat too much protein - google rabbit starvation, this is actually caused by too much protein, but it comes from eating a diet of pretty much nothing but protein and it's a combination of insufficient fat and too much protein in the diet... it's called rabbit starvation because if you tried to live off nothing but rabbits, you'd get it (rabbit is very lean meat). In french it's called mal au caribou because you'd get it from eating nothing but caribou (also a very lean meat)

    so unless you're trying to live off nothing but lean meat, you don't have to worry about too much protein. If you stick within your calorie goals and you're over on protein, then that's fine, so long as you're eating enough fat to get essential fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins, and enough carbs to fuel your workouts and your lifestyle generally (i.e. you feel energetic and not constantly tired). Protein is healthy and also helps you to feel full, and if you're eating at a deficit for fat loss, eating more protein is better for that reason and it also helps to guard against loss of muscle mass, so long as you're also doing exercise that works the muscles hard.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    There is very little to suggest that an otherwise healthy person is going to have any ill effects from ingesting large amounts of protein, and 145 grams for a person your size is far from any upper limit that has been suggested by the research. Relax.

    That said, make sure you are getting enough healthy fat, fiber, and micronutrients in the process. An all-meat diet is no healthier than any other extreme diet, such as the all-fruit nonsense that Steve Jobs made somewhat famous.

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