When you follow a high-protein diet to lose weight, you eat a mostly meat-based diet while restricting your carbohydrate intake. High-protein diets typically involve an induction phase where you drastically limit carbohydrates. Later phases allow you to work in small amounts of healthy carb options, such as fruits and vegetables. Speak to a physician before you use a high-protein diet to reach your weight loss goals.
Weight Loss
High-protein diets have been found to help people achieve weight loss. During a 2005 study published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," subjects were found to have decreased appetites and a reduction in calorie intake. Significant weight loss was achieved, with an average decrease of 4.9 kg after 12 weeks. Participants in the study increased their protein intake from 15 to 30 percent of total calories.
Fat Intake
High-protein diets that emphasize foods lower in fat will be healthier than types that allow you to eat foods high in saturated fat. You should only get about 35 percent of your total daily calories from fat sources, with less than 7 percent of that number coming from saturated fat. When you eat foods high in saturated fat, such as fatty cuts of pork and beef, you increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer.
Liver and Kidney Problems
If you have liver or kidney problems, you should not follow a high-protein diet unless otherwise advised by your doctor. Too much protein in the diet puts a strain on the metabolism, and the liver and kidneys may have difficulty removing the excess waste from the body. Diets high in protein and low in carbohydrates also put you at risk for ketosis. When you enter the state of ketosis, chemicals called ketones are released into the bloodstream and can cause symptoms such as nausea and fatigue.
Blood Pressure
Limiting carbohydrates may increase a person's blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. When you eat a variety of complex carbohydrates from healthy sources, such as whole-grain breads, fruits and vegetables, you can reduce your blood pressure. Complex carbohydrates that are typically forbidden on a high-protein and low-carb diet are also rich in essential nutrients, such as magnesium, calcium and potassium.
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