What is an excess of protein during weight loss, how is it manifested? What are the consequences of eating too much protein, and how to deal with them?
An excess of protein is an increased content of a nutrient in the human body. Despite the fact that everyone is talking about its benefits, if there is too much of it, it can threaten with serious consequences - from mild malaise to serious consequences. Let's talk about what happens to the human body with an excess of protein, how to fix this problem and how to prevent its recurrence.
What is an excess of protein while losing weight?
Protein is a very important human nutrient that has many functions. They affect metabolism, strengthen nails and hair, and improve their condition. It is also required for muscle development, which is why it is so important for athletes to consume a lot of protein.
The norm of protein required by the human body is about 25-30 g. Your individual amount can be calculated as follows: 1-1, 5 g multiplied by the current weight.
An overabundance of protein often happens on diets with a high content of it, for example, on protein. It makes it easy to lose weight, but it can end up not fun.
Excess protein is usually associated with a decrease in the amount of carbohydrates in the diet. In the world of losing weight, they usually take the place of the enemy - they contain a lot of calories, which means that it is better not to eat them at all and losing weight will become more effective. However, in an effort to quickly lose weight, we forget about the most important thing - health.
Good to know! It's a good idea to keep food in order. The stomach digests fruits, vegetables and greens faster, so it is better to eat them first, then the carbohydrate side dish, and only at the last moment - meat.
How is an excess of protein manifested?
Protein food with limited carbohydrates has an excellent weight loss effect, but also unpleasant consequences. The following signs may appear:
- severe fatigue;
- prostration;
- darkening in the eyes;
- trembling in the body;
- headache;
- fainting;
- nausea;
- severe abdominal pain;
- vomit.
You may also experience such non-obvious symptoms of an excess of protein:
- Thirst … Since the nutrient puts a lot of stress on the kidneys, they need more water to remove the substances that protein leaves behind. It would seem that it is easy to solve the kidney problem with plenty of drinking, but this also has a negative side: along with toxins, vitamins and minerals will also go away.
- Bad breath … During the breakdown of a large amount of protein, a lot of ammonia appears in the body, so an acetone taste may appear in the mouth, and with it an unpleasant odor.
- Hunger … Eating only protein products, the human body feels a lack of other nutrients and therefore a strong feeling of hunger may occur. In addition, this is influenced by the fact that a large amount of meat can be difficult to digest.
- Disturbed digestion. Excess protein also negatively affects the digestive system. Characteristic signs of a digestive disorder will appear: constipation, diarrhea, bloating and intestinal colic.
- Bad mood. Together with the above symptoms, a bad mood can occur. The person will become irritable and restless, he may be disturbed by chronic fatigue. In severe cases, depression can develop.
- Hormonal disbalance. Diets that focus on fast weight loss can affect hormones. A woman's menstrual cycle may become disordered. It is important to remember about the role of fat in the body and not get too carried away with rigid diets. In case of violation of the hormonal background, it is necessary to consult an endocrinologist.
If you notice these signs in yourself, it is better to see a doctor. If this is not done, then serious consequences can be expected. This is what an excess of protein leads to.
Important! Too much protein can be easily poisoned. Symptoms of protein poisoning: nausea, general weakness, ammonia taste and dry mouth, green face and sharp abdominal pain.
The negative effects of excess protein when losing weight
The kidneys are the first to suffer with an excess of protein. They are overwhelmed and disrupted. Acid accumulates in the kidneys, and their throughput deteriorates. Stones, kidney failure may occur. In the most severe cases, the kidneys can be damaged enough to require a kidney transplant.
The liver suffers next. Since there are few carbohydrates in the body, it begins to take energy from fats and proteins. Fats begin to actively oxidize, which negatively affects the functioning of the liver - it does not have time to process the metabolic products of fats. Toxins from negative breakdown cause the liver to enlarge.
An excess of protein in the human body impairs blood filtration, and toxins are retained in the vessels, forming congestion. Receiving a large dose of protein, the body begins to process it due to the calcium contained in the bones, which impairs their strength. Bones become very fragile, which can threaten the development of osteoporosis.
With an increased intake of protein, the human central nervous system and the brain suffer. A person can develop depression and neurosis, he becomes irritable, restless, cannot control himself. Possible visual impairment, retardation of thought processes. Deterioration of reaction, concentration and attention. Losing weight becomes difficult to remember and remember something. All this negatively affects performance.
In the process of splitting proteins into atoms and acids, ammonia is formed. With a normal amount of a nutrient, very little is released, which cannot harm the body, but if this rate is exceeded, then its value becomes toxic. The body simply cannot process so much toxin, which leads to weakness, fatigue and decreased immunity. Weakened immunity is more prone to inflammatory processes. With this state of the body, cancer cells begin to develop more actively, which increases the likelihood of cancer. Against the background of a decline in strength, a person becomes lethargic, quickly tired. He actively loses muscle mass and feels heaviness in the body.
Excessive protein norms affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Severe back pain, intestinal and stomach cramps appear. The weakened work of the digestive tract affects the condition of the human skin - the work of the sebaceous glands increases, and it becomes oily, which leads to various inflammations, acne, acne.
Paradoxically, with protein weight loss, you can completely maintain or even gain weight. The fact is that the body will process the processed protein into fats and glucose, which will affect the total body fat. Also, excess protein disrupts metabolism, which also becomes a factor in weight gain. Metabolic processes are disrupted, the blood begins to thicken. It becomes more difficult for oxygen to enter the tissues of the body, which can lead to thrombosis and heart attack.
With a decrease in carbohydrates for a long time (several weeks, months), protein metabolism is greatly disrupted. The concentration of uric acid increases, the crystals of which can be fixed in the joints and kidneys. This leads to the occurrence of kidney stones, arthritis. This is how gout develops.
Since the protein that a person consumes is usually of animal origin, it is easy to exceed the amount of animal fat required for the body. This affects the amount of cholesterol. High cholesterol can lead to diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Since the consequences of an excess of protein in the body can greatly undermine health, it is necessary to immediately begin to fight the problem.
Important! In order to lose weight quickly, do not forget about health. Fill your diet with fiber, which is found in vegetables and grains, and dairy products.
What to do if you have too much protein?
If the problem already exists, of course, it is better not to start self-medication, but to contact the right doctor and nutritionist. Basically, those who suffer from excess protein are prescribed a diet, the diet of which is filled with vegetables, fruits, herbs, cereals and is limited in proteins.
If protein poisoning is severe, the patient is admitted to a hospital. There, glucose and insulin treatment is carried out and a diet is prescribed in which there are no proteins and fats. It is recommended to eat honey and drink as much water as possible. For kidney disease, diuretics are prescribed to eliminate excess uric acid.
In case of protein poisoning, before contacting a doctor, to alleviate the situation, you can do a gastric lavage, a cleansing enema, take Enterosgel, Enterol or white coal to rid the body of toxic substances, Mezim or Festal to improve the digestive tract, saline solution to normalize the water balance.
To avoid the negative consequences of an excess of protein in the body, it is better not to use such diets or diversify the menu with nutrients. The only successful and healthy way to lose weight is through a balanced diet and daily calorie count. Our body needs every element, so nutrition should be varied, including all the necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
In order for the food to be really healthy, you need to calculate the BJU rate for your height, age and weight. Each nutrient is important for the body, and if it is not supplied in sufficient quantities, minor or significant problems will arise, such as an excess of protein.
Protein is necessary for a person for metabolism, it participates in the construction of tissues, in particular, muscle, strengthens the immune system. Fats are required for the assimilation of vitamins, the production of hormones, and the building of cells. They are a backup energy source. Carbohydrates become a source for the body from which it feeds energy.
There are “bad” and “good” sources of BJU. For example, butter, sunflower and olive oil, nuts, fat in meat are good, healthy animal and vegetable fats, while palm oil and spread are bad. Carbohydrates are simple and complex. The simple ones include, for example, any pastries, sweets, and the healthy ones - brown rice, oatmeal, bran. Simple carbohydrates have practically no value, but they contain the same large amount of calories, so in losing weight it is better to get rid of just such carbohydrates, and leave complex ones. All conditionally "bad" foods are not harmful, they can be eaten, but they also do not contain anything useful that needs to be taken into account.
It is important to consider some of the points that affect the absorption of these macronutrients. For example, you need to understand that not all the weight of the eaten protein is absorbed. 100 g of chicken contains 100 g of protein, but this does not mean that everything will be absorbed. The one that is best absorbed is the one contained in the soft-boiled egg.
You need to eat enough protein to have strong and beautiful hair - protein is 100% responsible for this. Also, proper nutrition improves skin condition and strengthens nails.
To calculate your own BZHU rate, you need to follow the following formula:
- Proteins: 1 g * per 1 kg of weight (for athletes - 1.5 g per 1 kg of weight);
- Fat: 1 g * per 1 kg of weight;
- Carbohydrates: 4 g * total weight.
Do not be afraid of the calorie content of foods, but take into account their nutritional value and monitor the norm of BJU and calories. If you eat within this framework, then the body will be healthy and there will never be problems with an excess or deficiency of any nutrient.
What is an excess of protein - watch the video:
