Excess Dietary Protein
Protein is essential in helping the body maintain a healthy state. Eating a well-balanced diet typically provides the body with enough protein to carry out necessary functions. However, with the popularity of high-protein diets recommended for weight loss, there is the risk of consuming too much protein. Excess protein can have a negative effect on the body.
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Function
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Protein is an essential building-block nutrient. Protein is used to maintain body organs, muscle, skin and hair. It plays a role in the respiratory, circulatory and immune systems as well. For adults, the National Institutes of Health and The American Heart Association recommend 50 to 60 g of protein per day on average. Another way to calculate how much protein you need is to multiply your weight by .36. Without enough protein, the body is prone to muscle weakness, increased risk of infection and issues related to the cardiovascular system, but too much protein can also create problems.
Types
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Protein can be obtained from animal or plant sources. Most animal sources are considered complete proteins in that these proteins contain all the amino acids required to make new proteins. Incomplete proteins do not contain all of these amino acids. Vegetables, nuts, grains and fruit are the typical sources of incomplete proteins.
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Effects
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Excess dietary protein can have a diuretic, or water loss, effect on the body. As the body loses water, it also loses minerals such as calcium, weakening the bones and causing osteoporosis. The water carrying the extra minerals is processed in the kidneys to make urine. In the kidneys, the lost minerals can accumulate and make kidney stones. Kidney stones can be painful and, if large enough, can require surgical intervention to remove.
Warning
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While not all high-protein diets are alike, they all carry the risk of causing adverse effects due to excess dietary protein. These popular diets suggest decreasing consumption of carbohydrates and increased consumption of protein sources such as meat, cheese and eggs. Not only are these foods high in protein, but they are also high in saturated fat. This can lead to increased cholesterol levels. In turn, increased cholesterol increases the risk of developing diabetes, heart attack or stroke.
Prevention/Solution
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When increasing dietary protein, it is important to obtain protein from many different sources. Different combinations of meat, grains and vegetables not only vary the types of proteins, but create variety with meals. When selecting meat, choose lean cuts and eat in moderation. A physician should be consulted before starting a high-protein diet to help determine if such a diet would do more harm than good. It is also helpful to work with a dietitian in developing a healthy high-protein diet to help prevent adverse effects of excess dietary protein.
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