Food

Good Food For Protein

What Happens When You Have Too Much Protein

Eat This, Not That

While too little protein is bad for your health, too much protein in the body also presents some adverse effects. A little higher protein than normal, the body can handle. Usually, if there is a little excess protein in the system, the body will simply get rid of it through the usual excretory systems (e.g. urine, feces). However, having to get rid of too much protein too often will start to tax the body’s regulating mechanisms, which is when the adverse effects start to manifest.

Remember that protein (or rather, the amino acids) are used to build muscle and bone tissue, but the rate of protein utilization will still be dictated by how much protein the muscles and bones actually need. If there is far more protein that what the muscles and bones need or can utilize, the body will first store the excess protein as adipose tissue, more commonly known as fat. Too much fat in the system will start to tax the heart, and could either start to accumulate in the blood vessels, or in the heart, or both. The kidneys will also get overworked because they have to work double time to filter the fat out of the system. In some cases, too much protein can trigger calcium decrease, which ironically then increases the risk of osteoporosis.

Athletes and physically active people can usually consume more protein, and utilize them efficiently, because their muscles and bones often go through microtears during physical activity, so there is more damage to be repaired, and therefore more protein needed. But for the average person to consume as much protein as elite athletes do, that might be too much. The amount of protein needed by a person will be dependent on variables like their activity level, their desired outcome (more muscle, or less muscle and fat, etc.), their size, and their age.