Contrary to the popular belief, an excessive intake of protein can take a serious toll on your health.
Over the last few years, high protein diets have gained a lot of popularity all across the world. Well, protein is surely an important nutrient, as it helps strengthen bones, reduce appetite, lower blood pressure levels, increase muscle mass, aid in weight loss, maintain skin health, and a lot more. However, as anything excessive is harmful - the problem begins when your protein consumption exceeds the recommended daily amount. It is linked to certain health issues, some of which are mentioned below.
Weight gain: While high-protein diets are known to be beneficial for losing weight, there is another side which you should also consider! The excess protein gets stored in the body, while the surplus of amino acids is excreted. This eventually leads you to gain more weight.
Bad breath: When consuming too much protein, most people generally restrict their carbohydrates intake. This leads your body to go into a metabolic condition called ketosis - which stimulates the production of certain chemicals that cause bad breath.
Dehydration: Several studies have shown that eating protein more than the requirements is closely associated with a lower hydration level. Because your kidneys have to work harder to metabolize the excess protein. This causes you to urinate frequently and leaves the body dehydrated.
Indigestion: High protein diets mostly lack an adequate amount of fiber - which is essential for the functions of your digestive tract. So, as a result, your system finds it hard to break down the consumed protein. This leads you to numerous digestion-related issues such as diarrhea, bloating, IBS, and more.
Fatigue: Some carbohydrates provide the required energy to your brain cells. So, as you focus more on protein and restrict the carbs intake, it leads you to experience fatigue throughout the day. Also, eating too much protein puts pressure on your kidneys - which leaves you excessively tired over time.
Brain fogging: As you limit carbs intake and focus more on protein, your brain cells do not receive enough sugar. Eventually, this causes your brain to shrink and leaves you foggy. It is also linked to poor mental health.
Kidney damage: Some evidence suggests that people suffering from kidney diseases should not consume excessive protein. Because, in such cases, your kidneys have to work a lot harder to remove the nitrogen and other wastages of protein metabolism. Over time, this can cause severe damage to your kidneys.
So, to avoid the above-mentioned issues, consult with a nutritionist and maintain a balanced diet regularly.
