Consuming Excess Protein: What Every Dieter Should Know

Many dieters and bodybuilders increase their protein intake to ensure that they burn fat and build muscle, but some people may be consuming too much protein and it may end up causing more harm than good to their body. This is especially of great concern to people who regularly consumed protein supplements such: as protein shakes, protein powders and muscle building supplements.

Protein is not stored in the body and people can suffer from having too much protein in their diets due to the way that protein metabolism is regulated and functions. Any excess protein in the body is converted into fat molecules and stored at various fat storage centers located throughout the body. Therefore people on protein diets who are trying to get that muscular physique may be actually setting themselves up for a great disappointment. This is however not the only problem associated with consuming excess protein, and may just be the least medically serious of the associated health problems.

Ketosis is a medical condition which can be caused by too much protein being consumed and is defined as the presence of excess ketones in the blood. The liver is responsible for most detoxification reactions in the body and the presence of excess toxins in the form of ketones will eventually cause damage to the liver and prevent it from functioning optimally.

A common question asked is "If protein consumption is such a serious problem, why isn't there more fuss being made about this?" The simple answer to this question is that many of the so-called experts in the gym are unaware and ignorant when it comes to this information. To prevent this over consumption of protein you should try to limit yourself to approximately .6 -1 gram of protein for every pound that you weigh depending on your weight goals. If you are aiming to gain muscle mass quickly, then you should aim for the upper limit of the scale, whereas if you are trying to lose weight only you should try to limit your protein consumption to around .6 grams per pound of body weight.

The protein that you ingest dose not only come from supplements, but also from foods and vegetables, especially beans and legumes. Liquid protein supplements are much easier for the body to absorb when compared solid foods and this is one of the reasons that you see people chugging away at their protein shakes in the gym, since the protein ingested goes immediately towards muscle renewal and repair. Trying to diet and replacing all or most of your food if protein supplements is a dangerous idea and should be avoided at all costs.

References
1. The Big Book of Health Tips. The editors of FC&A Publishing .FC&A Publishing
2. Before You Call The Doctor. Ballentine Books. New York 1992