Can Eating Large Amounts Of Protein Be Harmful?

There’s a reason the fittest guys you know can’t stop talking about protein. This essential macronutrient helps keep you full and works to build and maintain your lean muscles.

With that, you might think that eating huge amounts of protein is always a good idea—but is it possible to have too much of a great thing?

It’s not that more protein will “hurt” you, per se. For years, people have suggested higher protein diets will have a negative effect on your bone density (not true) or hurt your kidneys (also not true). Research has refuted both claims many times, according to a review of multiple studies published in Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

The potential downside: You’re left with an unbalanced diet. If you fill your plate with mostly protein all day every day, that higher intake could push out other high quality foods your body needs to properly function, like disease-fighting fruits and vegetables, heart-healthy fats, and whole grains that aid in digestion and weight loss.

So say you’re not eating enough carbohydrates because you’re skewed heavily towards protein. You might feel a dip in your energy levels, because carbs serve as your primary source of fuel.

“Leaning heavy towards one macro can lead to deficiencies in other macros and other vital nutrients,” Jim White, R.D.N., owner of Jim White Fitness Studios, explained to us recently. “For example, if you consume 60 percent protein, 20 percent fat and 20 percent carbs, you could be robbing yourself of B vitamins, fiber, and extra energy that you would normally get through a moderate carbohydrate diet.”

What’s more, your muscles can typically only absorb up to 35 grams of protein in one sitting. When you eat more than that, they either go to other parts of your body or you just flush it out.