Macronutrients Protein Is Too Much Protein Harmful?
Bodybuilders and athletes need to consume high amounts of protein to ensure adequate recovery, and to support muscle growth. Because of this, many people ask the following question:
"Is consuming too much protein harmful?"
First, let's get one thing straight; consuming excess amounts of protein offers absolutely no advantages as far as health and physical performance go. Once your body has received the amount of protein it requires, any additional protein consumed will simply be excreted. It will not be used to build muscle or enhance physical performance.
So what happens with the excess protein you consume? Any excess protein is filtered in the kidneys where one part of it is converted to a substance called urea, and another part is converted into glucose. The urea is then excreted through the urine, and the glucose is used as a source of energy for the body. If the body cannot use the glucose, it may be converted to body fat, although this is unlikely.
What are the Effects of Too Much Protein?
As mentioned earlier, excessive protein intake will not benefit you in any way. It's simply a waste of money, since protein supplements and high protein foods are relatively costly. You'll be wasting your hard earned cash if you don't determine how much protein your body needs!
Here are some of the effects that excessive protein intake may cause based on scientific research:
- Excessive calcium loss - Some experts believe that excess protein intake can lead to loss of the mineral calcium.
- Increased risk of dehydration - Dehydration can result as a result of excess protein intake because the body uses more of the body's fluids to dilute and excrete the increased urea.
- Kidney and Liver damage - There have never been any studies that prove that excessive protein intake will damage these organs, however, most scientists agree that it is possible if too much protein is consumed over a long period of time.
How Much is Too Much Protein?
It's almost impossible to know exactly how much protein is too much for your body to handle. What we can do however, thanks to scientific studies, is estimate appriximately how much protein different athletes require.
The table below outlines the protein requirements of different kinds of athletes
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Protein Requirements of Athletes | |
|
Type of Athlete |
Daily Protein Requirement per lb of body weight |
|
Endurance athlete |
.55 - .64 g |
|
Strength & powder athlete |
.64 - .90 g |
|
Athlete on fat loss program |
.72 - .90 g |
|
Athlete on weight gain program |
.81 - .90 g (1 gram /lb is widely accepted) |
*(Hergreaves & Snow, 2001; Lemon, 1998; Williams & Devlin, 1992; Williams, 1998; ACSM, 2000).
As you can see, anyone involved in highly intense activities requires more protein than an inactive person. Remember that the numbers above are for reference only, and are not considered to be exact.
Putting it All Together
Excessive protein intake offers no advantages in terms of increased muscle growth or physical performance. Determining the optimal amount of protein intake for your body weight and activity levels is crucial.
Although excess protein intake has never been proven to cause any serious health problems, it will put unnecessary strain on the kidneys, and may lead to dehydration.
Be sure to follow the protein intake recommendations in this article, and make sure that the protein you consume in your diet is of the highest quality possible.
Here are some of the best muscle building foods that consume high quality sources of protein.
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