Protein Intake and Joint Pain
High-protein diets are beneficial in bringing about weight loss and promoting general health, but consuming too much protein can have serious side effects. Furthermore, it is possible that a consistently high-protein diet could lead to joint pain as a result of a loss of calcium, dehydration or arthritis-like symptoms.
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Recommended Intake
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How much protein you need depends on your weight and age. Generally, individuals need about .4 grams for each pound of body weight. A good rule of thumb is to make 15 percent of your total calorie intake protein. So if you eat 1,500 calories a day, 225 calories should derive from protein.
More Protein
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Some factors can increase an individual's need for protein. For instance, athletes need more protein than sedentary individuals. The American Dietetic Association recommends .5 to .8 grams of protein per pound (1.2 to 1.7 per kilogram) per day for active people. Pregnant women and older adults also should ingest greater amounts of protein.
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Too Much Protein
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Symptoms of too much protein include weight gain, poor calcium absorption, urinary mineral excretion, kidney overuse, dehydration, increased risk of heart disease and osteoporosis. Excess protein can make the body more acidic in some cases and lead to disease.
Protein and Joint Pain
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If you consume too much protein, you will excrete more calcium. As calcium is necessary for strong bones, depletion could lead to osteoarthritis and joint pain. Dehydration as a result of too much protein can make muscles weak and cause body aches.
Protein Arthritis
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In a study by Paul B. Magnuson reported in the "Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery," cases of protein arthritis were attributed to excess dietary protein intake. Individuals with joint pain had reduced symptoms after being taken off the high-protein diet.
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