Protein is the **macro du jour**, influencers talk about this constantly. Trainers and dietitians create many recipes on social media. Cottage cheese or beans replace cream sauces sometimes. Protein powder goes into cakes and cookies. A survey in 2024 asked 3,000 adults. Seventy-one percent said they try consuming more protein. Most people want extra protein today.
Protein is needed for our body, this is true. It helps build muscle and keep health good. Protein serves like a building block for bones. Skin, hair, and other tissues use it too. But more protein is not always better for you. Eating too much can hurt your health. This is despite its role making enzymes. Enzymes help reactions happen. Protein makes hemoglobin also. That moves oxygen in blood. Your age and activity matter. You might already eat enough protein. Maybe you are having too much right now. This could lead to unexpected problems.
Knowing high protein risks is important for long-term well-being. This is not just about getting muscles bigger. Risks include hormone problems as you age. It is linked to illness too. Protein can strain important body parts. You could have stomach issues also. These risks are really worth thinking about. Let’s see what experts say. They look at protein intake. Sometimes it moves from good to way too much. Where protein comes from matters too. Source can be as key as the amount you eat.
1. **Elevated IGF-1 Levels and Accelerated Aging**:Too much protein can raise **insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)** levels. This is a big worry for some people. It happens especially from animal sources. Dr. Joseph Antoun mentioned this effect. He is CEO of L-Nutra. IGF-1 is a hormone from the liver. It helps with growth and body processes. In kids it’s essential. It fixes muscles for adults. Problems start with constantly high levels.
Excessive protein intake can elevate insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels, raising concerns for many, particularly from animal sources, as pointed out by Dr. Joseph Antoun, CEO of L-Nutra. IGF-1, a liver-derived hormone, plays essential roles in growth and bodily functions, especially in children, and aids muscle recovery in adults, but constant high levels can lead to serious health issues.
Dr. Antoun warns that elevated IGF-1 speeds up biological aging, increasing the likelihood of age-related diseases, including cancer, as high levels are linked to a greater cancer risk due to accelerated cell growth without adequate cell repair, which can lead to DNA errors and subsequent health complications.
This danger isn’t only for cancer, know that. Dr. Antoun says growth promotion without repair happens. Elevated IGF-1 causes this he suggests. It can also raise risks for Type 2 diabetes. Heart disease is another worry. He calls high IGF-1.
2. **Kidney Function Issues**:Too much protein, beyond what body needs for muscle work, gets burned for energy instead. This process create a waste stuff called urea. Your kidneys must filter this urea out of your bloodstream. Eating more protein, you produce more urea, pushing kidneys working harder to get rid of it.
Research coming from Madrid in 2024 showed that high-protein eating could maybe cause kidney failure over time. Even folks with good health saw bad effects from plenty protein, per a 2020 report in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology study. About 14 percent of U. S. adults have ongoing kidney sickness. So these possible bad effects from eating excess protein really matters for kidney well-being.
Kidney health isn’t the only concern tied to excessive protein consumption; chronic intake exceeding 2 grams per kilogram of body weight is also associated with irregularities in blood vessels, adding to the potential risks of a high-protein diet.
That was according to research done in 2016 from Food & Function study. Besides inside body system issues, eating way too much protein can show results more easy to see. These things include weight gain potential, a paper in the Clinical Nutrition Journal pointed this out. Digestion troubles are another normal thing people complain about.
Consuming an abundance of protein can lead to digestive issues like constipation or diarrhea, while high-protein diets that lack sufficient fiber may promote the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut, heightening the risk of gastrointestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease and diverticulitis.
4.**Links to Chronic Diseases (Beyond IGF-1)**:High protein, especially from animals, connects to higher IGF-1 levels. This was discussed implying more risk for cancer and Type 2 diabetes. Other studies however point to possible ties with many different long-term sicknesses. Some research found that eating more protein, mainly from animal sources, might contribute to higher risk for breast cancer too. Similarly, certain studies showed a likely link between eating protein more and risk increased for type 2 diabetes. Crucial it seems the protein source plays large part in these possible links discovered.
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5. **Inflammation**:Science has also looked at links between where protein comes from and body inflammation levels in people. A paper out the University of Navarra Spain said some animal proteins appeared to cause higher inflammation levels. This is compared to protein you get from things like legumes, nuts, and beans. This study especially saw that fat participants getting more protein from meat had higher inflammation.
The type of protein consumed significantly affects the body’s inflammation response, with those who primarily eat fish or plant-based proteins reacting differently. Interestingly, a study involving 2,061 participants suggested that those with the highest protein intake experienced less total inflammation and stress from bodily processes, indicating that plant-based protein sources may be beneficial for reducing inflammation as one ages; thus, the source of protein is crucial.
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6. **Risks from Specific Sources: Red and Processed Meat**:Talk about risks for high protein eating, key to know bad results often link more to the *form* protein is in. This is the “protein package” instead simple total amount eaten.
This is especially true for specific types of meat; even small amounts of red meat and processed red meat are linked to serious health risks, as highlighted by research from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Chan School of Public Health saw connections with more risk of heart problems, strokes, and death from heart issue or any other reason. A 2010 study looking at data from over 84,000 women also said high red meat eating grows risk for coronary heart disease. This risk could decrease by changing to other protein food sources. Bowel cancer another very bad thing linked especially to these proteins. Experts like Thornton-Wood explain bowel cancer connects with eating plenty red meat and plenty processed meat as well. In 2015, WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer famously decided eating processed meat is carcinogenic.
Meaning it cause cancer. They said eating red meat is classed as “probably carcinogenic to humans” instead. Eating too much protein from these sources can also means you eat less other healthy foods. Things like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains being less in your diet.
7. **How Much is Too Much?It’s Individual**:Given possible dangers eating too much, natural question appears: how much protein really is too much anyway? The answer not simple one size fits all answer. As it really depend on your own age plus personal aims for health. Dr. Joseph Antoun, CEO of L-Nutra, gives a guide based on how old someone is. If under 65, he says aim for 0.
31 to 0. 36 grams of *plant-based* protein for each pound your body weigh daily. For someone weighing 150 pounds, this adds up roughly to 46. 5 to 54 grams protein each day. For people over 65 years old, Antoun advises increasing protein some. This is if you lose muscle or weight from your body.
He specific recommends getting more protein from foods such fish, eggs, cheese, plus yogurt made from sheep or goat milk for this age group. This is when muscle, strength, or weight loss occurs in them.
It’s easy to glance at the official protein guidelines and assume they represent the ideal intake, with the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) typically set at 0.83 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
For a woman weighing 150 pounds, this translates to about 55 grams of protein daily. However, data from 2015-2016 revealed that the average protein intake among Americans was already higher than this, at 97 grams for men and 69 grams for women, suggesting that many may already be meeting or exceeding their protein needs based on these basic guidelines.
Carolyn Ketchum, author of *The Protein Advantage*, emphasizes an important aspect of the RDA, stating that it ‘never meant to be the optimal or target amount of any nutrient.’ Instead, she clarifies that it indicates ‘the least amount an individual should consume’ to avoid deficiency, and these guidelines are generalized; individual needs can vary significantly based on factors such as age, gender, and activity levels.
The protein paradox is clear: it’s not just about how much you eat, but where it comes from and how it fits into your overall diet. Animal proteins, particularly red and processed meats, carry higher risks of inflammation and chronic diseases, while plant-based sources like legumes and nuts offer safer, nutrient-dense alternatives.
Ultimately, finding the right balance is crucial; whether you’re under 65 or over, active or sedentary, the objective is to fulfill your body’s requirements without overloading it. By prioritizing high-quality protein sources and being attuned to your body’s signals, you can reap the benefits of protein while steering clear of its downsides—true wellness is all about achieving balance, not excess.
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