The Effects of Too Much Protein in the Diet

For years carbohydrates have received a bad rap, steering dieters toward high protein diets. When dieters first increase their protein and eat few or no carbohydrates, they often see the scale go down

quickly. However, it is usually water weight and not fat that is lost. Dieters should learn that eating too much protein is not healthy, causing medical concerns. With all the hype of high protein diets, there are also red flags regarding too much protein.

Side Effects of Excess Protein Intake

People consuming extra proteins have chances of suffering from kidney problems. Excess protein in the diet puts stress on the kidneys making its functioning difficult. The kidneys have to work extra hard to filter out those extra proteins. This additional protein can cause strain on your organs and can give rise to kidney stones. The problem of kidney increases with age.

If large amount of carbohydrates and less amount of fats are consumed, then it can lead to less amount of fiber and thus, too much protein can cause constipation. Lack of fiber can also cause polyps, hemorrhoids and in worse case, colon cancer. Other side effects are, being affected with diseases related to heart and obesity.

One of the important side effects is, accumulation of ketones in the blood. It is also referred to as ketosis. Ketosis leads to dehydration to some extent. Along with flushing out of proteins, the kidney also excretes water which leads to dehydration and may make you feel weak and tired.

The more protein you consume, the more calcium is required by the body. If it does not get the minimum required calcium, then it leeches the calcium from your bones. This leeching of calcium from the bones can cause osteoporosis in which, the bones tend to become brittle and they break off easily.

Along with the above-mentioned problems, other side effects are hypertension, dizziness, fatigue, headache and nausea. Few side effects are, different kinds of allergies and problems in the wrist, especially in woman. It tends to increase the content of acid in the blood.