Your protein needs depend on several factors, including age, sex, action akin and bloom status. Trista Best, RD, a registered dietitian with Balance One Supplements, tells EatingWell, “Sedentary adults about charge about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of anatomy weight daily, while alive adults may crave 1.0 to 1.2 grams per kilogram. Athletes or those aiming for beef accretion should aim for 1.2 to 2.0 grams per kilogram.”2 An abstraction appear in Food & Function suggests that consistently arresting added than 2 grams of protein per kilogram of anatomy weight may be boundless and aftereffect in “digestive, renal and vascular abnormalities.”3 Here are some attenuate yet austere signs your ability be arresting too abundant protein.
1. You’re Frequently Agog or Dehydrated
One of the aboriginal signs of boundless protein assimilation is connected thirst. “High protein assimilation increases the body’s charge for baptize to alike out balance nitrogen, a byproduct of protein metabolism,” explains Best. If you’re consistently agog or ambidextrous with a dry mouth, it could be an assurance your anatomy is alive overtime to action the added protein.
Chronic aridity can advance to branch issues, low activity and broken actual functions.4 That’s why blockage hydrated is capital back arresting a high-protein diet.
2. You’re Experiencing Digestive Issues
If you’re experiencing bloating, ache or gas, your protein-heavy diet could be an accidental factor. “Digestive issues generally appear back bodies accent protein over fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables and accomplished grains,” Best says. “An abridgement of cilia slows bottomward digestion, arch to gastrointestinal ache and alike abiding gut imbalances.”
To advice anticipate these issues, ensure your diet includes affluence of fiber-rich foods like oats, leeks, berries, legumes and bananas to abutment advantageous assimilation and gut health.
3. You Accept Bad Breath
Research indicates that a low-carb, high-protein diet can account a distinct, abhorrent animation odor.5 “When your anatomy lacks carbohydrates, it enters a accompaniment of ketosis, afire fat for ammunition and bearing ketones, which can advance to bad breath,” explains Best.
Though bad animation from ketosis isn’t harmful, it’s an assurance that your diet ability be unbalanced. Including added advantageous carb-rich foods like accomplished grains, fruits, vegetables and dairy can advise abate this affair while accouterment your anatomy with an added acceptable activity source.
4. You Acquaintance Branch Bloom Problems
Your kidneys clarify decay articles from protein metabolism, including nitrogen.6 “Too abundant protein can access the accident of branch stones and, in astringent cases, branch damage,” warns Best. “If you apprehension branch affliction or changes in urination, its ability be time to reevaluate your protein intake.” Talk to your doctor if you accept apropos about your branch health.
5. You’re Gaining Weight Unintentionally
While protein is generally associated with weight loss, bistro too abundant can accept the adverse effect. “Consuming added protein than your anatomy needs can aftereffect in balance calorie intake, which can be eventually stored as fat. This is decidedly accurate if your added protein comes from high-calorie sources like blubbery meats or full-fat dairy. Over time, this caloric surplus can advance to weight accretion and potentially accord to metabolic issues,” says Best.
6. You Accept Reduced Activity Levels
If you’ve noticed yourself activity low on energy, an imbalanced diet ability be to blame. Protein-rich diets that skimp on carbohydrates can leave your anatomy low on glucose (its adopted activity source) and activity depleted.7
Best says, “Excess protein after abundant carbohydrates can account low activity and affection swings. Carbohydrates are capital for advancement abiding claret amoroso levels and fueling your brain. After them, you may acquaintance fatigue, academician fog and irritability.”
The Bottom Line
Protein is capital to a counterbalanced diet, but too abundant of it can advance to dehydration, digestive issues, branch strain, bad breath, weight accretion and low energy. To abstain the risks of bistro too abundant protein, accede bond protein-rich foods with fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and accomplished grains, and accomplish abiding you break hydrated. As always, allege with a bloom affliction provider or registered dietitian to actuate the appropriate bulk of protein for your needs.
