Dangers of too much protein
How much protein is too much?
While too little protein is certainly bad, many nutritionists believe that eating too much also may be harmful. The amount of protein you eat can easily build up. An excess of 200 grams of protein a day, which is more than four times what the body needs, can be consumed by eating a breakfast of pancakes and cream, a lunch of rice with chilli con carne and a glass of milk, a snack of peanuts, and a dinner that includes a baked potato topped with some grated cheese, with ice cream for dessert.
Such excessive amounts of protein place a strain on the kidneys. The body’s tissues do not use the nitrogen part of the protein molecule and it is excreted by the kidneys. The more protein consumed, the more fluid the kidneys need to flush out the nitrogen.
Nor can the body store surplus protein. In the short term, protein is converted into glucose in the liver or directly combines with oxygen to provide heat and energy. Any protein that is not used in this way is converted to fat and stored. Therefore, in terms of food cost and the risk to health, eating too much protein is an expensive way for you to obtain energy. In addition, Pods and pulses
A green pea or a green bean with its pod is not termed a pulse. It is usually called a fresh vegetable. Pulses are the dried seeds of these pod-bearing plants. But, whether a pea or a bean is fresh, frozen or dried, it contains the same amount of protein.
With animal protein, in the form of full-fat dairy products and fatty meat, is virtually always associated with high levels of saturated fat. So the more animal protein in your diet the more saturated fat you are likely to consume. In the long term, diets high in saturated fat have been linked to heart disease and stroke.
High protein (amino acid) supplements are often taken by athletes in the mistaken belief that this is the quickest way to make them stronger and more muscular. But consuming large amounts of protein does not help build more muscle: only exercise can build more muscle cells. Instead, athletes and others interested in body building in particular should eat more carbohydrate-rich foods, such as pasta, to provide them with the energy to carry out their intensive exercise programmes.
Studies have shown that eating too many protein-rich foods or taking purified amino acid supplements encourages the body to lose calcium in urine. Excess calcium loss causes osteoporosis (thinning of the bones), a serious condition that is on the rise among postmenopausal women . Those at risk should avoid high-protein foods, and make sure that they have sufficient intakes of calcium and vitamin D.
Kidney Damage
As part of the urinary tract, the kidneys have two main functions: filtering the blood and excreting waste products and excess water. The most important waste products are those generated by the breakdown of proteins. Proteins have a high nitrogen content, which is dangerous to the body, and this must be filtered out. If too many high-protein foods are eaten, the kidneys must work much harder to remove the waste matter. The increased level of urine that is needed to excrete the nitrogen puts a strain on the kidneys and may lead to renal disorders or damage to the kidneys’ filtering units, the glomeruli. If the glomeruli are damaged, blood and protein will be lost in the urine. Mild versions of this condition occur naturally with age, but severe cases may ultimately lead to the destruction of the kidneys.
Excess amino acids that are not needed by the body are converted to urea in the liver. Urea travels via the bloodstream to the kidneys and is removed in urine.
- The kidney uses the Tubule , that reabsorbs water salt and other essentials like amino acids.
- Glomeruli,each glomerulus is a filter for waste product
- Ureter, waste fluid passes into these tubes to the bladder
Gout
Gout is a very painful disease that is caused by excess uric acid in the blood. This causes uric acid crystals to form in the joints, particularly the big toe. The joint becomes inflamed, swollen and very tender. The sufferer often experiences extreme pain and may be unable to put any pressure on the affected area. Usually, the first attack of gout affects only a single joint and may last for a few days. But if there are subsequent attacks, more joints may become affected.
Uric acid is made from the breakdown of nucleic acids (the material in the cell nucleus). Some protein foods, for example, kidneys and other offal, are high in nucleic acids. Some experts recommend that gout sufferers avoid these foods.
Naturopathy is commonly used to treat gout. Cherries are recommended by some practitioners for easing the pain. Sufferers from gout should also drink plenty of fluids and try to limit their intake of alcohol.
