Can you have too much protein?

If your following the default settings in MFP then don't worry about it, if your getting double or triple your lean body mass you may want to tone it back a bit.. So to answer your question, don't worry about it infact you should probably get more than whats recommended by MFP

MFP tells me I'm supposed to be getting 60g of protein a day. I aim for at least 100. Most days I don't get there but today I am at 114.

What mndamon said is correct. Alonnea as well.

The protein requirement set by MFP is way too low. You can set it yourself, either you can do 40% or figure out what your lean body mass is and eat 1g of protein for each 1lb of LBM.

Some of these responses are way off. Do a bit of independent research. Being a little off is no big deal and you do need more if you're into serious bodybuilding than you would if you're just looking for a healthy diet.

Normally, determining how much to eat starts with determining the % of your calories you want from protein. Without getting into big debates and flames here, you'll find many recommendations in the 20-25% of calories from protein. Protein has 4 calories per gram. So, let's say for the sake of argument you were on a 1500 calorie diet and wanted 20% of your calories from protein. That translates to 300 calories. At 4 cals/gram, you are looking at 75 grams of protein. These estimates of 200 grams of protein would be unhealthy if maintained over a long period.

If you continually eat too much protein, your body uses calcium to process the excess. Once normal metabolic function and muscle repair is taken care of, we don't store it, we process and excrete it. If your body has to do this a lot, then it leaches calcium from your blood and eventually your bones. In very rare cases, prolonged excess protein consumption 'can' lead to blood disorders and, oddly enough, osteoperosis.

No, be sure to get some fiber in too or you won't be able to poo.

I try to exceed MFP's recommended amount. Maybe it is all in my head but I feel noticeably better when I go over for a stretch of time.

I set my weight loss to maintain specifically so that I can see my true protein needs.. I'm now set to 84 grams per day base (plus more for working out) and I manually manage my deficient (500 for 1lb of fat 1000 for 2lb of fat per week) I like to see my deficient anyways so that I don't undercut the number they set to avoid going over.. The last thing your body wants to do with protein is use it as energy, it's a very important macro that has many uses I'd say it'd be the worst to consistently go under on(unless you were going to cut out 100% of your carbs, but I'm not going into that) but I wouldn't worry about going over a bit(especially if MFP is managing your deficient for you) u could swap over to maintain for a quick glance at what it really thinks u need in protein if it would make you more comfortable(u can swap right back to your current setting)

A friend of mine ate over 100g of protein per day and gained like 45 lbs of muscle in a month. She looked like a bulky she-hulk. Be careful!!

I hope you're joking here because this is extremely misleading. If my sarcasm radar is FUBAR and I'm just missing the joke then I'll hit myself later.

A friend of mine ate over 100g of protein per day and gained like 45 lbs of muscle in a month. She looked like a bulky she-hulk. Be careful!!

I hope you're joking here because this is extremely misleading. If my sarcasm radar is FUBAR and I'm just missing the joke then I'll hit myself later.

^ I'm trying to figure out if it's trolling too. She made 2 other posts recommending lifting 5lb dumbbells to avoid gaining muscle very rapidly. I'm guessing trolling.

Or complete ignorance. There are women out there who think you'll bulk up quickly. But, I'm going with trolling, cause, really? 45 pounds in a month? Doubt it.

Where is the study that shows animal source protein leads to osteoporosis quicker than other sources of protein? Pretty skeptical about that...

As for the 45 lbs of muscle gained in a month and got manly, clearly troll-tarding. If someone legitimately believes this, they are the most naive human being ever... Gaining 45 lbs in a month is hard enough(Only 5.25k calories extra a day), getting muscle at that rate would be nearly impossible...

*****************Um Ok Lean protein is fine.****************

I don't know why people are posting crazy stuff.

You can ask a doctor if you want. I did. I eat a ton of lean protein
.
--> MFP just gives you an amount they suggest. It is somewhere to start.

You are not going to die, gain 45 pounds, and have bone loss just for eating a bit more lean protein.
There is always some extreme case, but if you don't eat extreme, it won't be you.

Bottom line; YOU ARE FINE!!!!!

Who has my back?

45 lbs of muscle in a month? Where do I sign up!?!? Even if she just missed a dash and it was really supposed to be 4-5 lbs, it still makes my bull$#!+ detector peg.

I dunno, it set off my sarcasm detector instead :P

A friend of mine ate over 100g of protein per day and gained like 45 lbs of muscle in a month. She looked like a bulky she-hulk. Be careful!!

I hope you're joking here because this is extremely misleading. If my sarcasm radar is FUBAR and I'm just missing the joke then I'll hit myself later.

^ I'm trying to figure out if it's trolling too. She made 2 other posts recommending lifting 5lb dumbbells to avoid gaining muscle very rapidly. I'm guessing trolling.

Or complete ignorance. There are women out there who think you'll bulk up quickly. But, I'm going with trolling, cause, really? 45 pounds in a month? Doubt it.

I eat almost 300g of protein in a day and I have never had this happen to me, clearly I must have the wrong protein :grumble: . I want to gain 45 lbs of muscle in a month... What brand was that? I wonder if it was the kind of protein made from ACME since they make all kinds of crazy stuff. :laugh:


:laugh:

Don't know if this is accurate, but I thought it seemed helpful..
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=50900