Risks Of A High Protein Diet

With the rising trend of building muscles, we have started to focus more on high-protein diets. While it’s good to include protein in your food, do you know about the high protein side effects?

Well, too much of everything is bad.

And we need to know how much protein is too much.

So, let’s get into the details and see some of the high protein side effects.

Too much protein side effects

If you’re eating too much protein without looking at the risks, you need to stop.

Most gym enthusiasts have a high-protein diet and add protein powder to it as well. While protein powder has its own benefits, we should realize that our regular meals also contain protein. So, we need to balance our protein powder intake with regular meals to prevent health risks.

Now, let’s look into the high protein side effects we might experience after eating too much protein.

Digestive problems

Facing digestive issues after consuming protein powders is a common problem.

However, the underlying reason can be different for most people.

If you’re lactose-intolerant, you’ll face digestion issues with protein shakes.

On the other hand, people also get constipation because high protein diets are also less in fiber. However, you can still prevent this situation by drinking more water and increasing your fiber intake.

Another digestive issue associated with high protein intake is diarrhea. Apart from being lactose-intolerant, eating too much dairy or processed foods can also cause diarrhea.

Kidney problems

If you’re already diagnosed with a related health issue, consuming too much protein can increase your risk of kidney disease.

It is because our kidneys have to work harder to remove the excess amount of waste from the body. While protein intake is fine in the short run, putting too much stress on your kidneys will increase your risk of developing kidney disease in the long run.

Weight gain

Isn’t protein powder good for weight loss?

Well, yes.

But too much protein can in turn make you gain weight.

Why is that?

It’s because our body uses protein and converts it into energy. When we eat more protein than our body can utilize, the excess of it is stored as fat in the body.

Thus, we can say that too much protein without utilizing it for energy will lead to excess fat in the body.

Bad breath

Ever wondered why your breath smells so bad even after using a mouthwash and brushing your teeth properly?

Well, look into your protein intake.

High protein intake also leads to bad breath. It is because we limit the intake of carbohydrates by increasing protein in our diet.

The reason may be that the body goes into a metabolic state called ketosis. During this, chemicals are produced which give off a bad smell, which escapes through the mouth as bad breath.

Dehydration

Dehydration can also be linked to the intake of a high-protein diet.

It is because our kidneys work harder with high protein intake. Thus, you may also feel thirsty.

Also, most of the water is also lost through urine, and you need to drink more water to keep yourself hydrated.

Take-away message

In some cases, consuming a high-protein diet may be fine.

However, you still need to be aware of the high protein side effects to keep yourself away from the risks.

Also, remember that it’s good to include protein in your diet. Still, it should be within a limit, or in an amount that your body can utilize.