How much protein is TOO much protein?

The protein I use in my drink is 18 grams and it says its 35% of daily. hmmmm I dont think I'm getting enough protein, could be why I'm hungry.

aim for .7-1 for every pound you weigh. If you weigh 200, aim for 140 - 200 protein a day.

The old "more protein is better" approach from the 80's and 90's is a slow one to die off. The Cooper Institute teaches all Personal Trainers and Institute's clients (which includes world famous athletes) to follow the range below (yep, this includes competitive athletes ... they may just be at a different point in the range):

Healthy Fat: 20% to 35%
Lean Protein: 10% to 35%
Healthy Carbs: 45% to 65%

I never deviate even for competitive athletes and body builders and have never encountered any problem. Seems right on to me and is reinforced by most reputable research. Others may have different approaches but after many years of training and practice, reading many medical/obesity professional journals, and attending many seminars, I support the Cooper Institute's approach 100%.

Well, I'm not a nutritionist, but I have been visiting mine last week. In fact I am having a lot more protein than I used to. What happened is that I really feel less hungry than before and I'm losing weight.

Also, when you eat more protein you tend to eat less carbohydrates. And I believe that is where the secret is: no carbohydrates after 5PM and less carbohydrate during the day than we are all used to.

I still eat oatmeal (no sugar of course) with bananas and honey for breakfast. Good carbohydrates!!!

Good luck!

Excessive protein intake is associated with high risk of kidney stones, calcium loss from bones and various forms of cancer. If you're American, you probably eat an excessive amount of protein. Try a quick google search for "excessive protein" and see what you find.

From Medicinenet: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=50900

Find out how consuming too much protein can harm your body.
By Miriam Nelson
WebMD Feature
Reviewed By Gary Vogin

Seems like everyone at the gym is doing it: filling up on protein to bulk up those biceps. But it's a misconception. Eating extra protein actually doesn't do much toward boosting your muscle mass and strength.

In fact, medical research shows that consuming too much protein -- more than 30% of your total daily caloric intake -- could actually harm your body, says protein expert Gail Butterfield, PhD, RD, director of Nutrition Studies at the Palo Alto Veterans' Administration Medical Center and nutrition lecturer at Stanford University.

She says that a diet containing excess protein can have the following adverse effects:

Adding more protein but not more calories or exercise to your diet won't help you build more muscle mass, but it may put your other bodily systems under stress.
Eating more protein and increasing total caloric intake while maintaining the same exercise level will build an equal amount of additional fat and muscle mass, according to a study published in 1992 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Too Much Protein

So think twice when you consider sacrificing the carbohydrates for a protein-dominant diet, Butterfield says. Drastically cutting carbohydrates from your diet may force your body to fight back.

She says that's because a diet in which protein makes up more than 30% of your caloric intake causes a buildup of toxic ketones. So-called ketogenic diets can thrust your kidneys into overdrive in order to flush these ketones from your body. As your kidneys rid your body of these toxic ketones, you can lose a significant amount of water, which puts you at risk of dehydration, particularly if you exercise heavily.

That water loss often shows up on the scale as weight loss. But along with losing water, you lose muscle mass and bone calcium. The dehydration also strains your kidneys and puts stress on your heart.

And dehydration from a ketogenic diet can make you feel weak and dizzy, give you bad breath, or lead to other problems.

How Much Protein Do I Need?

The amount of protein you require depends on your weight and your daily caloric intake. Most Americans consume more than enough protein in their daily diets. A few specific groups of people are at risk for being protein-deficient, including elderly women and people with illnesses or eating disorders. A protein deficiency is defined as eating 50% to 75% of the recommended amount of daily protein, Butterfield explains.

Ideally, you should consume 0.36 grams of protein for every pound of body weight, according to recommended daily allowances (RDA) set by the Food and Nutrition Board. So if you weigh 170 pounds, you need about 61 grams of protein each day.

Protein should also make up approximately 15% of your total daily caloric intake, also according to the RDA. In a diet of 1,800 calories a day, for example, about 270 of those calories should come from protein.

It's Essential

Although limiting protein intake is important, you should also realize that protein is essential to our bodies' normal functions. It assists in synthesizing enzymes and hormones, maintaining fluid balance, and regulating such vital functions as building antibodies against infection, blood clotting, and scar formation.

Protein is also a building block for our muscles, bones, cartilage, skin, hair, and blood. Protein-rich foods include meat, cheese, milk, fish, and eggs. For vegetarians, protein can be found in soy products such as tofu as well as in combinations of foods, such as rice or corn with beans.

Whether you are an avid strength trainer, a marathon runner, or just an average exerciser, a balanced diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish, and complex carbohydrates is what nutritionists recommend.

Reviewed by Gary D. Vogin, MD, May 29, 2002.

Dom

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very good post. Although, the heavier you are, the more you need --- by that calculation I need about 90 grams a day which is about what my nutritionist calculated for me. Of course, as I lose weight, I'll need to decrease my protein.

Ta. Fetishising protein is a pet peeve of mine

I agree about the link to weight, but of course, extra protein requirements for extra body weight is the same as saying protein should comprise x% of total calories, and total calories should depend on BMR, which is dependent upon weight. I don't think anyone is saying (including you) that the more you weigh, the higher percentage of total calories should come from protein.

I was told by a nutritionist that you should ideally take in a gram of protein for every pound of body weight. Ive been taking in about 70grams of protein a day, is that too much? I weigh about 175lbs, so its under according to the nutritionist. What are the benefits on taking in alot of protein if you are trying to lose weight? im also eating right and working out if that helps

If you're exercising regularly you should have a little more protein. i weight 130 lbs and usually aim for 100-150 g. of protein a day. My reasoning is that I eat extremely lean and not a ton of carbs so I need to fill in the calories somewhere. Be careful your choices for protein though. Make sure they're lean. Chicken breast, ground turkey, lowfat or fat free dairy, lean red meat....I also add some good healthy fats since i'm cutting out the red meat and dairy fats...so olive oil and nuts are great!