Protein powder is a dietary supplement for people who are trying to gain muscle through strength-training programs, and it can also be used in weight-loss shakes. Protein is a crucial part of everyone’s diet, and athletic people may even need a little more protein than sedentary people, but using protein in its supplemental form can increase your risk of accidentally consuming too much and causing physical damage, according to the American Council on Exercise.
Weight Gain
Your body uses protein as energy for its cells, and it also uses it to build muscle. However, your body is limited in the amount of energy and muscle it can store from protein. If you take in more protein than your body actually needs – which is easy to do with protein powder – your body won’t use it to build muscle or store it for later use. In reality, extra protein converts into fat, and your body stores it that way as excess pounds. There is no set limit on fat storage of protein, according to MedFitness at the University of Michigan.
Dehydration
Taking too much of a protein powder supplement can increase your risk of dehydration. When your body metabolizes protein, it uses extra water to properly use and eliminate protein byproducts, according to the American Council on Exercise. And if you’re using protein powder to enhance muscle gains through exercise, you’re at an even greater risk of dehydration because exercise induces excess fluid loss through perspiration. Signs and symptoms of dehydration are fatigue, headache, lightheadedness, decreased urine output, dry mouth and excessive thirst.
Kidney Problems
When your body metabolizes proteins, your kidneys are responsible for excreting protein’s waste products, urea, uric acid and ammonia. When your body produces a large amount of urea, your kidneys may become overwhelmed by their filtering task and begin failing, according to the American Association of Kidney Patients. You are at an especially high risk of reduced kidney function if you have an underlying kidney problem because your kidneys may already have trouble eliminating protein’s waste products.
Osteoporosis
Your body produces acid when you consume large amounts of protein. To buffer the higher acid load in your body, your bone releases calcium, and the calcium and acid are excreted together through your urine, according to UCLA’s Student Nutrition & Body Image Awareness Campaign. Chronic loss of calcium in your urine can weaken your bones and may increase your risk of osteoporosis as you age. You are at an even higher risk of osteoporosis if you are a woman.
Other Pitfalls
Protein-rich foods naturally contain zinc and iron. Your body absorbs these natural sources more efficiently than it can absorb those micronutrients from a powder, according to Health Services at Columbia University. Your body also better absorbs amino acids – which it uses to produce new muscle tissue – from food than it can from supplements. In fact, taking a supplement may lead to imbalances in amino acids and interfere with your ability to absorb other amino acids from foods.
Considerations
If you’re still interested in trying a protein powder supplement or following a high-protein diet, consult your doctor in advance to ensure that you don’t have an underlying health problem that could be worsened by supplementation. Once you’re given the thumbs up, find a protein supplement that contains all nine of your body’s needed essential amino acids, recommends MedFitness at the University of Michigan. Most powders have about 20 to 24 grams of protein per scoop, and the average adult only needs about 46 to 56 grams of protein per day. As a point of reference, one 3-ounce piece of meat contains about 21 grams of protein, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
References
- The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports: FAQ
- American Council on Exercise: Are There Any Risks Associated With Excess Protein Consumption?; C. Bryant; 1999
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Protein
- MedlinePlus: Protein in Diet
- MayoClinic.com; High-Protein Diets; June 2010
- Health Services at Columbia University; Amino Acid Supplements; November 1999
- American Association of Kidney Patients; Why Do I Have to Monitor My Protein Intake?; Keith Norris, M.D.; March 2005
- University of Michigan MedFitness: Protein Supplements; J. Munch; April 2004
- UCLA’s Student Nutrition & Body Image Awareness Campaign: Protein
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