So everybody knows the benefit of protein especially for muscles. But let’s talk about protein suplements in sports. I think it’s clear that (especially in bodybuilding/fitness) protein is suplemented in an high amount that would be difficult to eat everyday. How harmful is it consuming that much proteins? If I do it for some years, does is raise the risk of something? I just can’t immagine that eating (actually drinking) that much protein is good for your body, but I’m no expert.
My masters thesis was on high protein intakes and renal dysfunction. Previous researchers have hypothesized that high protein diets would promote renal decline via increasing glomerular filtration rate (GFR), resulting in glomerular hypertension, hyperfiltration, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the concerning evidence in those publications is mainly limited to observational and animal studies, neither of which can infer causation in humans. Sometimes when you try to connect the dots with indirect evidence, it doesn’t always align with the body of direct evidence.
I review the direct evidence here.
Basically, there’s no reason to be alarmed with high protein intakes, if you are apparently healthy and active. Further, when we look at long term data (>20 years) on nephrectomized individuals (people with only one kidney), hyperfiltration does not appear to lead to renal decline. This questions the primary concern of hyperfiltration from long term high protein diets leading to renal decline.
I did a research paper for this on my pre med health class. The research on protein supplementation is really not there. Studies that review high protein diets often don’t distinguish between different proteins sources or are preformed on animals and aren’t compatible to humans. Doctors and dieticians mostly all agree that supplementation should be used when necessary to correct a deficiency. If you lift weights frequently and want to increase muscle mass, your protein needs increase. In high preforming athletes this may require supplementation and there is no concrete evidence that shows this causes harm as long as you have a otherwise balanced diet.
In normal circumstances as long as you have a healthy diet, get enough real food and don’t go to any extremes, your body can effectively handle a reasonable excess of nutrients that it doesn’t need. Just don’t go overboard and start eating 400 grams of proteins a day and never touching vegetables.
Unless you have a preexisting kidney or liver condition, or a history of something along those lines in your family you should be good. You probbably won’t even go past 3-4g/protein per kg of bodyweight as it’s exspensive to get that much meat or even supplements in. Personally I have been eating about 3g per kg for a few years now and I’m completely fine, if something happens I’ll let you know lol.
Hey speaking for personal experience- too much protein can cause an increase in uric acid. Also please do not quit on carbs. Protein also causes constipation in some people. My advise would be to not get on keto.
well some studies show that less methionine in particular may supress cancer cell growth https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/3/684
same for lysine and breast cancer https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2020.598684/full
does that mean u should totally avoid them or they cause cancer, well not really but having moderate protein intake for ur age and activity would be better then drowning in protein just cuz some tiktoker said no matter the source animal or plants
“people ages 50 to 65 who ate a diet rich in animal proteins during middle age were more than four times as likely to die of cancer during the study period than those who ate a low-protein diet”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3988204/
I can tell you from my own personal experience I was having kidney issues from excess protein intake. I am 32M, 6’4” 220 lbs. In 2022 I was attempting to really build muscle and would often hit 180-250 Grams of protein a day. I had terrible brain fog, fatigue, and would even have splitting pains in my sides. It was like my kidneys were screaming at me. I also was a little chunky despite working out a lot. I went to get blood work done and my BUN (Blood Nitrogen Urea) count was a little high.
I removed protein powder and have been doing a more plant centric diet and feel SO MUCH better. Less brain fog, more focus, no more pains in the side. I still hit 100-150 g protein naturally.
One of the most frustrating things about influencer fitness is I’ve seen so many of them claim there is NO downside to a high protein diet. A simple google search proves that wrong.
Consuming too much protein can have negative effects on the body. High protein diets can put a strain on the kidneys and liver, as they are responsible for filtering and processing excess protein. This can lead to kidney stones or liver damage if done over a long period of time.
Additionally, high protein diets can also lead to dehydration as protein metabolism produces more nitrogen waste which need to be excreted through urine, thus increasing the water needs of the body.
Eating too much animal-based protein, such as red meat, can also increase the risk of certain cancers and heart disease. High protein diets can also lead to weight gain if the additional calories from protein are not burned off through exercise.
It’s important to note that a balanced diet that includes a moderate amount of protein from a variety of sources is best for overall health. The recommended daily intake of protein varies depending on age, sex, and activity level but generally, adult should consume 0.8-1g/kg of body weight. It’s always recommended to consult a healthcare professional or a dietitian before making any drastic changes to your diet.
You can develop kidney stones from calcium oxalate. The Oxalate part comes from processing animal protein. Apparently Vitamin D, nuts, beer and everything else good in life also contribute.
Having a third kidney stone removal surgery soon.
“Protein-packed diets add excess nitrogen to the environment through urine, rivaling pollution from agricultural fertilizers.
In the U.S., people eat more protein than they need to. And though it might not be bad for human health, this excess does pose a problem for the country’s waterways.
The nation’s wastewater is laden with the leftovers from protein digestion: nitrogen compounds that can feed toxic algal blooms and pollute the air and drinking water. This source of nitrogen pollution even rivals that from fertilizers washed off of fields growing food crops, new research suggests.”
My gfr is tanking and I’m 30. My dad was a pro body builder and hit borderline failure by 40.
It depends how far you take it.I basically lived the way a stage ready person would for a decade. I was about 16-17% fat and I’m female at 108lbs 5’2. My very limited carbs came from vegetables and only made up 1/3 my diet.
Mind you during this time I lifted every day. I never missed one.
I only recently after seeing I’m at 70% function and its dropped consistently for years that I’m realizing I have to back off. At some point it’s for your health.
It’s easy to miss how unhealthy a healthy looking person can be.
If you lift like I did and do you must carb or your ketones will mess you up.
I eat 6 meals a day and there’s about 40-50g of protein in each meal. You’ll be fine. Get your bloodwork done regularly (once a year) to make sure your BUN levels aren’t too high. Make sure you’re exercising enough as well. Protein not only builds and repairs muscle, but it also helps reduce cravings.But yes, if you have kidney or liver issues, you may not be able to.
Keep the kidneys flushed, balance the Na+ and K+ and you’ll be fine.
I eat about 1gm protein per lb of body wait but average is 300g a day….
Drink a lot of water.
My GFR, creatinine, total protein, and carrier proteins are all normal.
We learned in med school the kidneys can handle the protein if the salt and water balance are kept homeostatic.
High protein increases creatinine , marker of kidney function so definitely it stresses kidneys. . I caught it early and stopped whey and other animal proteins ..high protein diets are not safe long term..also high protein diet and longevity are inversely related..look up David Sinclair
Absolutely wrecks havoc on your liver and kidneys. Especially casein proteins and red meats. This isn’t talked about of course because for some moronic reason people think muscles equate to health. LOL. 20 years from now this country is going to be in a health crisis unlike anything we have ever seen. Protein waffles. These really exist.