too much protein?

my protein is always way off the charts when i enter everything in my log. is this a bad thing? can i overdose on protein? will it hurt my weightloss/fitness?

Replies

  • hdroddy
    hdroddy Posts: 122
    Anything over 150 - 180g on a regular basis is probably going to put an excessive load on your kidneys. Plus, if your body can't use it, it will convert it into fat, even if you are within your maintenance calories.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Anything over 150 - 180g on a regular basis is probably going to put an excessive load on your kidneys. Plus, if your body can't use it, it will convert it into fat, even if you are within your maintenance calories.

    Neither of these things are true. Please do not post misinformation as fact.

    Joey, your protein is set quite low. Try to eat 1g of protein per 1lb of lean body mass. I have no idea how tall you are but as a male I'm guessing it's gonna be at least 150g a day. Best of luck.
  • CaptainHandsome
    CaptainHandsome Posts: 127 Member
    MFP set that... I'm 5'7" 176Lbs.


    one says less, one says more, two conflicting posts... can i get a tie-breaker?
  • jldunn713
    jldunn713 Posts: 41 Member
    1 g protein per 1 kg body weight is more like it
  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
    If it works for you, use it.
  • thriftycupl
    thriftycupl Posts: 310 Member
    If you are unsure about the information received here, google it or type search in the message boards section here. You can certainly ask around, but once you dig in and do the reading, I think you'll feel more comfortable with where you want to be. There is no limit to the amount of information available out there.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    MFP set that... I'm 5'7" 176Lbs.


    one says less, one says more, two conflicting posts... can i get a tie-breaker?

    Sure.

    Eat the protein you are. Make sure you are getting plenty of water so your body can process it properly. And start lifting some weights if you aren't already doing so to give your body something awesome to do with all that wonderful protein.
  • 916lude
    916lude Posts: 305
    MFP by default sets the protein way low. 1g for every 1lb of lean body mass.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Anything over 150 - 180g on a regular basis is probably going to put an excessive load on your kidneys. Plus, if your body can't use it, it will convert it into fat, even if you are within your maintenance calories.

    Neither of these things are true. Please do not post misinformation as fact.

    Joey, your protein is set quite low. Try to eat 1g of protein per 1lb of lean body mass. I have no idea how tall you are but as a male I'm guessing it's gonna be at least 150g a day. Best of luck.

    Totally this! That other post is not true at all. You can use the 1g per lb of lean body mass or you can use 1.6 to 2 grams per kg of body weight. This assumes you are getting some kind of exercise, either cardio, strength training or both. if not you can go as low a 1 gram per kg of bosy weight.
  • Picola1984
    Picola1984 Posts: 1,133
    Protein is the one thing I like being over on

    I don't mind been over by fat on occasion

    HATE being over in carbs
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Anything over 150 - 180g on a regular basis is probably going to put an excessive load on your kidneys. Plus, if your body can't use it, it will convert it into fat, even if you are within your maintenance calories.

    Neither of these things are true. Please do not post misinformation as fact.

    Joey, your protein is set quite low. Try to eat 1g of protein per 1lb of lean body mass. I have no idea how tall you are but as a male I'm guessing it's gonna be at least 150g a day. Best of luck.

    Totally this! That other post is not true at all. You can use the 1g per lb of lean body mass or you can use 1.6 to 2 grams per kg of body weight. This assumes you are getting some kind of exercise, either cardio, strength training or both. if not you can go as low a 1 gram per kg of bosy weight.

    Agreed also.
  • Linda_Darlene
    Linda_Darlene Posts: 453 Member
    You are fine. It's easy to figure on 1 gram per kilo.
  • LinzCurlyQ
    LinzCurlyQ Posts: 94 Member
    It's ok to be over on protein! Protein is good for you. It should account for at least 30% of your calories. People like to use different percentages based on their goals, but a healthy percentage is 40% carbs, 30% fat, 30% protein.
  • debussyschild
    debussyschild Posts: 804 Member
    Anything over 150 - 180g on a regular basis is probably going to put an excessive load on your kidneys. Plus, if your body can't use it, it will convert it into fat, even if you are within your maintenance calories.

    Not to blast you, but this simply isn't true. I consume about 180-190 g of protein a day. High protein diets are not detrimental to your health. Protein is essential during weight loss as it helps you maintain muscle mass (well, some) and provides essential amino acids your body needs. Unless you have a kidney problem, a high protein diet will not hurt you or your progress. From personal experience, I can say that high protein diets are VERY effective for weight loss especially while weight training.
  • StarkLark
    StarkLark Posts: 476 Member
    Anything over 150 - 180g on a regular basis is probably going to put an excessive load on your kidneys. Plus, if your body can't use it, it will convert it into fat, even if you are within your maintenance calories.
    I usually eat between 150-200g of protein per day. I've done this for the past year or so. No problems losing, no kidney problems either. I'm 5'9" currently 330 lbs.
  • debussyschild
    debussyschild Posts: 804 Member
    MFP by default sets the protein way low. 1g for every 1lb of lean body mass.

    Definitely agree with this one. MFP gives good guidelines for beginners in terms of macro nutrient ratios. But... those are not etched in stone. Different fitness goals require different ratios/calorie intakes/water intake, etc. Overall, you really can't overdo protein.
  • CaptainHandsome
    CaptainHandsome Posts: 127 Member
    awesome. thanks all. i am working out, although a lot of it is random cardio/band workouts at my desk (which i have no idea how to log here - i'll rip out jumping jacks or run in place while my egg beaters are in the microwave) and tennis/swimming at home (which hasn't been frequent enough to log)
  • avasano
    avasano Posts: 487 Member
    I'm on a high protein diet. Dukan diet has a ton of very lean protein. I haven't heard of any negitive effects. I am not getting fat either. :)
  • lhather
    lhather Posts: 25
    I am definitely not an expert here, and can only share my personal experience. I've been eating healthy for about 6 months now (the healthiest in over a year) and was recently diagnosed with gout! My diet was too high in protein - but according to the posts here and my numbers in MFP - I have been in a perfectly healthy range. I may have something else going on that is contributing - since my numbers aren't typical. I still have some follow up with my doctor, but If you are very concerned about the amount of protein, I would check with your doctor. Gout is VERY painful - and stopped my daily exercise in it's tracks for nearly a week :sad:
  • reggie2run
    reggie2run Posts: 477 Member
    Bump.
  • cwilli36
    cwilli36 Posts: 45 Member
    My trainer told me to eat about half my weight in protein (g).....I'm not a doctor, and neither is she, but it seems to work for me.
  • cherrybl0ssoms
    cherrybl0ssoms Posts: 19 Member
    I agree with 1g of protein per lb of body weight - been doing this since January and no negative effects! I am more energetic and feel great. Definitely do some googling if you have more questions, and ultimately, find what works for YOU!
  • homerjspartan
    homerjspartan Posts: 1,893 Member
    Anything over 150 - 180g on a regular basis is probably going to put an excessive load on your kidneys. Plus, if your body can't use it, it will convert it into fat, even if you are within your maintenance calories.
    I usually eat between 150-200g of protein per day. I've done this for the past year or so. No problems losing, no kidney problems either. I'm 5'9" currently 330 lbs.

    I agree with eating a lot of protien, as stated above. My one caution is to watch out for supplements that give you too much protien at once. Your body can only process (depending on the person and metabolism) 8-15g / hour. So the "SUPER EXTRA PROTIEN SHAKE 68g OF PROTIEN" is a waste, you are not getting all of that protein. They are expensive and if you waste it you are paying a ton of money to poop out protein shakes.

    I drink shakes everyday, and usually about 25-35g per shake.
  • v70t5m
    v70t5m Posts: 186 Member
    Most nutrition and government sites I've perused indicate a healthy protein range for adults is between 10 and 35%.

    As another poster commented, high protein can have a negative impact on some people, and you usually do not know ahead of time if you are susceptible. Though if gout runs in the family, that is a tip off.

    Protein tends to ontribute to a 'full' feeling and can help absorb excess water in your system.

    Like many other things it may be best in moderation, and your body needs a variety to be healthy so make sure you are not eating the very same foods every day.
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    Pretty sure that unless you're trying to go extremely low carb and high protein and low fat together, you're good to go. And even then, it might not hurt you.

    Or so says wiki.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_starvation

    Since protein only contains 4 kcal/gram, and a typical adult human requires in excess of 2000 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.
  • hdroddy
    hdroddy Posts: 122
    Anything over 150 - 180g on a regular basis is probably going to put an excessive load on your kidneys. Plus, if your body can't use it, it will convert it into fat, even if you are within your maintenance calories.

    Neither of these things are true. Please do not post misinformation as fact.

    Joey, your protein is set quite low. Try to eat 1g of protein per 1lb of lean body mass. I have no idea how tall you are but as a male I'm guessing it's gonna be at least 150g a day. Best of luck.

    I apologize if I was incorrect, but that is what my research revealed, and I wasn't posting it as fact. This is an open forum. The best you're going to get here for any question you post is an educated opinion. For fact, you should consult a nutritionist.
  • JayByrd107
    JayByrd107 Posts: 282 Member
    Anything over 150 - 180g on a regular basis is probably going to put an excessive load on your kidneys. Plus, if your body can't use it, it will convert it into fat, even if you are within your maintenance calories.

    Neither of these things are true. Please do not post misinformation as fact.

    Joey, your protein is set quite low. Try to eat 1g of protein per 1lb of lean body mass. I have no idea how tall you are but as a male I'm guessing it's gonna be at least 150g a day. Best of luck.

    I apologize if I was incorrect, but that is what my research revealed, and I wasn't posting it as fact. This is an open forum. The best you're going to get here for any question you post is an educated opinion. For fact, you should consult a nutritionist.

    W-wha? You can't just absolve yourself of bad information by saying that it's "just your opinion" so "no harm done, facts don't exist here and you shouldn't expect them". So your research was based off of what? Other people's opinions or something else besides facts? If I understand you, the only people that can state facts are professionals in a given field? If I state that Venus is the second planet from the sun, that is just my opinion and not a fact, because I'm not an astronomer? What if a nutritionist is on one these open forums? Is there some sort of paradox where any information they dispense is rendered factually neutral because it is a forum (wherein there can be no facts) but they are harbingers of facts themselves?

    Oh, and no - you don't have to worry about too much protein under normal circumstances.
  • CaptainHandsome
    CaptainHandsome Posts: 127 Member
    rofl. thanks.