Yahoo Lifestyle Here’s Exactly What Happens to Your Body If You Eat Too Much Protein
Protein is certainly an important nutrient, and there's no question that the body can’t function without it. Especially as we age, getting enough protein to prevent muscle loss and keep our strength up is essential. That said, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Similar to how not getting enough protein can be detrimental to health, overconsuming it isn't great, either.
How do you know if you're getting too much? That’s exactly what registered dietitians explain here, also giving tips on hitting the sweet spot of what your body needs.
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How To Figure Out How Much Protein You Need
If you’re trying to figure out how much protein to aim for each day, registered dietitian and certified personal trainer Stephanie Hnatiuk, RD, CPT, says that a good starting point is to consume between 1.2 and 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight per day. Did reading that make you go cross-eyed? Fortunately, there is an online protein calculator that can do the math for you, just in case you measure your weight in pounds instead of kilograms.
What ballpark numbers should we aim for? Registered dietitian Marjorie Cohn, MS, RD, LDN, CEDS-S, says that it translates to about 56 grams per day for a 155 pound sedentary man and 46 grams per day for a 125 pound sedentary woman. “From there, higher protein intake is calculated based on activity level, age and health status,” she says.
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To this point, if you are trying to lose weight and build muscle, Hnatiuk says your protein needs are going to be a little higher than the above baseline recommendation. But if you’re trying to maintain your body composition and don’t work out too heavily, she says you can get slightly below the recommended protein intake and be okay.
Instead of trying to calculate how many grams of protein are in your food, Hnatiuk says an easier way to make sure you’re getting the right amount is to make between 1/4 and 1/3 of your plate consist of protein-based foods at every meal. “The rest of your plate space can be dedicated to your whole grains, fruits and vegetables to get a good variety and balance of both macronutrients and micronutrients,” she recommends.
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What Happens If You Consume Too Much Protein?
In terms of what constitutes “too much” protein, Cohn says that anything above between 2.5 grams and 3 grams per kilogram of body weight can be detrimental. This translates to about 176 to 211 grams per day for a 155-pound person and 143 to 171 grams per day for a 125-pound person.
When someone consumes this amount of protein regularly, Cohn says it can put too much stress on the kidneys, causing them to not function properly. “If someone has certain medical conditions such as kidney or liver disease, excess protein in their diet can worsen their medical condition,” Hnatiuk warns, highlighting the risk that too much protein has to kidney health. Cohn offers up a similar warning, saying, “High protein intake doesn’t cause kidney disease, but can worsen kidney function in those with existing conditions."
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Hnatiuk says that consuming too much protein can also lead to weight gain and constipation (those are two big signs) and can increase the risk of not getting enough other important nutrients. “Protein consumption can be excessive if it is either causing that person to consume too many calories overall, or if it is causing someone to consume too little of the other key macronutrients by essentially ‘crowding them out’ of that person’s diet,” Hnatiuk explained. "Because we get different nutrients from different foods, eating too much of the same things can contribute to nutrient deficiencies in other areas.”
It can be especially easy to overconsume protein bars or protein shakes, Hnatiuk noted. Instead of relying on protein bars and shakes, she recommends focusing on whole food protein sources, which are more filling and nutrient-rich and not having multiple servings of supplemental protein in a single day if you can avoid it.
Cohn echoes this, saying, “Supplemental protein sources add up fast! Powders, shakes and bars are the first I advise cutting back on when clients are at or close to protein excess. They're easy to overconsume, often poorly portioned and marketed as ‘healthy snacks’ despite other unknown additives and sugar alcohols.”
If your diet primarily consists of protein-rich foods like meat, fish and eggs, Hnatiuk says it’s possible to experience gastrointestinal issues from not getting enough fiber. To avoid this, vary your protein sources to include foods like tofu, beans, chickpeas and nuts, which have both protein and fiber.
Both dietitians emphasize that the best diet is a balanced one. Yes, it’s crucial to get enough protein, but it’s not the only nutrient to focus on. If you have questions about your nutrient needs, check out the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s guidelines at MyPlate.gov or consider working with a registered dietitian.
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Stephanie Hnatiuk, RD, CPT, registered dietitian and certified personal trainer
Marjorie Cohn, MS, RD, LDN, CEDS-S, registered dietitian
