Can you have too much protein?

micqs
micqs Posts: 186 Member
edited November 19 in Food and Nutrition
I am doing my husband's meal plan with him. We both lift weights on a regular basis and he is huge on protein and carbs.

However, can one intake too much protein? With what we are eating, our diet is over 90% protein Monday-Friday. Can too much protein be harmful?

Sorry if it is a silly question. He is pretty good about researching before doing but when I asked him, I got a mumbled response with a shrug.

Thanks in advance!
M
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Replies

  • sixxpoint
    sixxpoint Posts: 3,529 Member
    edited June 2015
    Yes, not only is overdoing protein useless for new muscle synthesis, but it can also be harmful to the digestive system, especially if you're not getting enough fiber and water. You would also be lacking many vitamins and minerals, assuming 90% of your calories are coming from protein.

    Everything in moderation. Use common sense.
  • Unknown
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  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    vinegar_husbands wrote: »
    Yes. And how on earth are you eating 90% protein?

    I want to know this as well because of reasons.
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    missiontofitness wrote: »
    vinegar_husbands wrote: »
    Yes. And how on earth are you eating 90% protein?

    I want to know this as well because of reasons.

    That is a lot of protein...
  • coryrood
    coryrood Posts: 100 Member
    shell1005 wrote: »
    micqs wrote: »
    I am doing my husband's meal plan with him. We both lift weights on a regular basis and he is huge on protein and carbs.

    However, can one intake too much protein? With what we are eating, our diet is over 90% protein Monday-Friday. Can too much protein be harmful?

    Sorry if it is a silly question. He is pretty good about researching before doing but when I asked him, I got a mumbled response with a shrug.

    Thanks in advance!
    M

    What constitutes the other 10%? I would have to think you are under eating the healthy wonderful fat.

    I also wonder what you all are eating that ends up being 90% protein, out of morbid curiosity. Is it just meat, meat and more meat?

    Can't be meat. Meat has fat. I would think you could even hit 90% protein eating chicken.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    vinegar_husbands wrote: »
    Yes. And how on earth are you eating 90% protein?

    wouldn't eating that much protein cause a back up in the toilet department?

  • FitBeto
    FitBeto Posts: 2,121 Member
    I've never read too much protein is bad, but fat helps testosterone levels and carbs will help your workouts WAY more than proteins do, since it is converted the fastest into glycogen. Really 1-1.2 g of protein per lb is needed and since you wouldn't need more then that why miss out of the benefits of CARBS especially when you are lifting
  • CPhelps89
    CPhelps89 Posts: 34 Member
    The body can only absorb so much protein and after that it is simply passed through the body. In theory you could eat an unlimited amount of protein but unfortunately all of those products tend to also have fat and cholesterol contents which would make that diet undesirable. Plus you would need large amounts of fiber and water to successfully pass that much protein and significant supplimentation to replace the other nutrients you're missing from you're diet.
  • FitForL1fe
    FitForL1fe Posts: 1,872 Member
    edited June 2015
    whoa 90% lol

    protein dedication
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    edited June 2015
    CPhelps89 wrote: »
    The body can only absorb so much protein and after that it is simply passed through the body. In theory you could eat an unlimited amount of protein but unfortunately all of those products tend to also have fat and cholesterol contents which would make that diet undesirable. Plus you would need large amounts of fiber and water to successfully pass that much protein and significant supplimentation to replace the other nutrients you're missing from you're diet.

    I think you have protein confused with vitamin C. Protein won't just pass through the body. It will either be synthesized for muscle maintenance/building or burned for energy (excess energy will then be stored as fat if not utilized).
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Not a silly question - just a silly diet. :smile:
    Malnourishment isn't only from low calories - you are simply not leaving enough room in your diet for fat, carbs and fibre. An unbalanced diet may also be deficient in micro nutrients and vitamins.

    You might find this useful.....
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1
  • coreyreichle
    coreyreichle Posts: 1,031 Member
    Yes, you can. Excessive protein consumption (As a percentage of total caloric intake) will cause kidney problems.

    http://www.medicinenet.com/how_much_dietary_protein_to_consume-page2/views.htm
  • BenjaminMFP88
    BenjaminMFP88 Posts: 660 Member
    micqs wrote: »
    I am doing my husband's meal plan with him. We both lift weights on a regular basis and he is huge on protein and carbs.

    However, can one intake too much protein? With what we are eating, our diet is over 90% protein Monday-Friday. Can too much protein be harmful?

    Sorry if it is a silly question. He is pretty good about researching before doing but when I asked him, I got a mumbled response with a shrug.

    Thanks in advance!
    M

    Damn, 90%? Are you just going protein shake after protein shake? Your body needs some fat and some carbs (carbs less so if your ketogenic).
  • Apud85
    Apud85 Posts: 74 Member
    Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember reading somewhere that too much protein can also lead to weakened bones and osteoporosis.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    christinev297 wrote: »
    vinegar_husbands wrote: »
    Yes. And how on earth are you eating 90% protein?

    wouldn't eating that much protein cause a back up in the toilet department?

    Sure would for me!
  • vgrezzy
    vgrezzy Posts: 31 Member
    yeah it can wreck your liver and you'll get super backed up if you don't get enough fiber
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    coreyreichle wrote: »
    Yes, you can. Excessive protein consumption (As a percentage of total caloric intake) will cause kidney problems.

    http://www.medicinenet.com/how_much_dietary_protein_to_consume-page2/views.htm

    This. It's generally hard to do so not something most people need to worry about, but at 90% I would worry about that, as well as getting enough of the other things you need.

    Are you doing some kind of low cal/high protein program?

    On the whole protein above 1 gram per lb bodyweight (and even that is likely much higher than beneficial--I'd say .6-.8 g/ lb LBM is likely plenty, although I tend to eat more) is all you are going to get any added benefit from, and the rest is just gravy (or, well, not) and possibly makes your diet more expensive or challenging than it needs to be.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Apud85 wrote: »
    Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember reading somewhere that too much protein can also lead to weakened bones and osteoporosis.

    I have not seen anything to support that - however, what can cause issues is a deficiency in other nutrients, which 90% protein diet will likely have.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    missiontofitness wrote: »
    vinegar_husbands wrote: »
    Yes. And how on earth are you eating 90% protein?

    I want to know this as well because of reasons.

    OP please deliver.
  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
    I do 200 grams a day with no issues and have done 300 a day in he past.. The food I like happens to have a lot of protein in it. Meat fish chicken milk
  • Bry_Fitness70
    Bry_Fitness70 Posts: 2,480 Member
    Wow - I try to eat protein at about 30%, or 188gs per day, which is pretty high (I weight about 170lb, about 157lb lbm). I cannot imagine tripling this and eating 2,250 calories of protein per day, it sounds extremely excessive!
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    hell, I just want to know what you're eating to get to 90% protein. I'm looking for ideas for other palatable lean sources and don't know any source that is that high...much less a diet for a week.
  • j75j75
    j75j75 Posts: 854 Member
    edited June 2015
    Some of you could benefit from watching this

    https://youtu.be/mjmV8BlsJTQ
  • Firebolt394
    Firebolt394 Posts: 7 Member
    missiontofitness wrote: »
    vinegar_husbands wrote: »
    Yes. And how on earth are you eating 90% protein?

    I want to know this as well because of reasons.

    yes, please?
  • AlyM725
    AlyM725 Posts: 158 Member
    healthyeating.sfgate.com/three-problems-associated-much-protein-intake-6546.html
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I don't see the point in having a 90% protein diet...how are you coming up with that number anyway? I'd say if in fact this is true, your bigger issue is a lack of balanced nutrition.
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    Sarauk2sf wrote: »
    Apud85 wrote: »
    Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember reading somewhere that too much protein can also lead to weakened bones and osteoporosis.

    I have not seen anything to support that - however, what can cause issues is a deficiency in other nutrients, which 90% protein diet will likely have.

    I've seen actual published studies for this, but they all come out of alkaline diet promoters, and usually includes confounders in that the "protein group" is one given no guidelines, and the "non-protein group" is usually told to eat X servings of fruit and vegetables.
  • micqs
    micqs Posts: 186 Member
    I track what I eat here and MFP is saying 90% protein if you look at the daily nutrition charts. So it could be a smidge off?. I thought my diary was open but I guess not. Here is what I'm eating this week:

    Breakfast: 1/2 c vanilla Greek yogurt
    3 rice cakes
    1 c fruit

    Lunch: shredded chicken with bbq. (I made 4 pounds (precooked weight) and divided it into 5 equal portions.
    2 rice cakes

    Dinner: whatever I make. I always try to have a veggie, carb, and protein.

    If I have cals left over and hungry, I have a protein shake with water with some fresh veggies or fruit.

    He eats pretty much eats what I do but in larger quantities. I just feel it might be imbalanced and I'd like to figure it out and come to him with suggestions.

  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    micqs wrote: »
    I track what I eat here and MFP is saying 90% protein if you look at the daily nutrition charts. So it could be a smidge off?. I thought my diary was open but I guess not. Here is what I'm eating this week:

    Breakfast: 1/2 c vanilla Greek yogurt
    3 rice cakes
    1 c fruit

    Lunch: shredded chicken with bbq. (I made 4 pounds (precooked weight) and divided it into 5 equal portions.
    2 rice cakes

    Dinner: whatever I make. I always try to have a veggie, carb, and protein.

    If I have cals left over and hungry, I have a protein shake with water with some fresh veggies or fruit.

    He eats pretty much eats what I do but in larger quantities. I just feel it might be imbalanced and I'd like to figure it out and come to him with suggestions.
    I'm having difficulty picturing 90% protein out of this.
    What would be an example grams for the day or per meal for carbs, fats, protein?
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