What Happens If You Intake Too Much Protein? | LIVESTRONG.COM - 0 views
-
Protein-rich foods can be delicious as well as nutritious -- just think of a creamy, thick cup of yogurt or a savory, juicy grilled steak.
-
While high-protein foods have a bounty of valuable nutritional and health properties, however, the benefits can turn into risks if you eat too many of them over an extended period of time.
-
According to Katherine Zeratsky, a registered dietitian for MayoClinic.com, you may experience constipation if you follow a high-protein diet for several months or longer.
- ...7 more annotations...
-
While protein-rich foods don't cause digestive problems by themselves, eating a lot of them may leave less room for high-carbohydrate foods in your diet, which tend to have a lot of dietary fiber.
-
More severely, taking in too much protein could raise your risk of serious diseases including cancer, heart disease, and liver or kidney problems. Partially, that is because so many protein-rich foods are also high in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, all of which can enhance risk factors for those diseases. If you choose plant-based proteins instead of animal proteins and full-fat proteins, your personal risk may not be quite as high.
-
Protein contains calories -- sometimes more calories than carbohydrate- or fat-rich foods. Although it can help you gain lean muscle mass, eating protein in excess of your body's needs will result in fat gain.
-
The question of how much protein to eat can be a tricky one because the right amount for one individual may be far too much for another. MayoClinic.com recommends getting between 10 percent and 35 percent of your daily calories from protein, or about 50 to 175 g per day.
-
You can also calculate recommendations based on your body weight. Dr. Melina Jampolis, physician nutrition specialist for CNN.com, suggests getting about 0.8 g of protein per day per kg of your body weight.
-
Unless you're following a diet that is very unbalanced, you're likely not at risk for eating too much protein. It's also important to realize that some protein is essential for health, since protein-rich foods build and repair muscle and bone tissue, satiate hunger and provide energy. If you have concerns about the protein amounts in your diet, talk them over with your doctor or a registered dietitian.
-