Everyone and their mother is always putting so much emphasis on making sure we are eating enough protein. High protein diets are all the rage now, with every health enthusiast on Instagram and TikTok suggesting diets and recipes that have a high protein intake.
Protein is an important part of your diet. It can help you reduce fat, lose weight, increase satiety, and retain muscle.
But how much protein is too much protein? And what happens if you eat too much of it?
Having too much of anything is harmful for you, and unsurprisingly, protein is no different. There are a lot of negative consequences of eating too much protein.
Weight gain
Eating protein can help with weight loss, yes, but according to Healthline, it is only temporary, and eating too much of it can actually cause weight gain.
Excess protein is usually stored as fat. This can lead to weight gain over time, especially if you consume too many calories while trying to increase your protein intake.
Constipation and Diarrhoea
If you’re eating a high protein diet that restricts carbohydrates, your fibre intake goes down significantly, which can lead to constipation. If you increase your water and fibre intake, this problem can go away.
High protein intake can also cause diarrhoea, especially if you’re having too much dairy or processed food. Drinking water and lowering your processed food intake can help prevent this.
Increased risk of cancer and heart diseases
Studies have shown that some high protein diets, especially ones that are high on red meat intake, can lead to an increased risk of health issues like cancer and heart diseases.
This is due to a higher intake of saturated fats and cholesterol.
According to Medical News Today, other negative effects of eating too much protein include indigestion, dehydration, unexplained exhaustion, nausea, headaches, seizures, liver and kidney injuries, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.
So the next time you try to incorporate an increased protein intake into your diet, tread carefully, it might be better to skip that shake.