Ulcers are painful, open sores that can occur anywhere on your body including your mouth and throat. Although consuming a large amount of dietary protein may cause unpleasant side effects, it likely won’t lead to throat ulcers. If you notice ulcers on your throat, see your doctor about possible causes and treatments.
Definition
Protein consumption is generally considered large if it exceeds the Institute of Medicine's guidelines for daily intake. Based on these guidelines, your protein consumption should be 10 to 35 percent of your daily calorie intake, or about 50 to 175 grams of protein per day for a 2,000-calorie diet.
Considerations
Although there is no evidence that links large amounts of protein to throat ulcers, consuming too many total calories each day could, in an indirect way, cause a problem. According to the Merck Manual, gastroesophageal reflux, or backflow of stomach acid. can create vocal cord or throat ulcers. Since consuming too many calories on a regular basis and being obese can increase your risk for gastroesophageal reflux, large amounts of protein as part of a diet too high in calories could bring on throat ulcers.
Causes
In addition to gastroesophageal reflux, other causes of throat ulcers may include herpangina, a type of throat infection; hand-foot-mouth disease; chemotherapy; or a sexually transmitted disease. If you notice an ulcer on your mouth or throat, see your doctor as soon as possible to help determine the cause and treatment options. If your throat ulcers were caused by gastroesophageal reflux because of excess calorie consumption, overweight or obesity, your doctor may instruct you to reduce your overall daily calorie intake but not necessarily your protein intake.
Benefits
Consuming large amounts of protein on a short-term basis may provide certain health benefits if you're overweight or obese. Many types of weight loss diets use high-protein meal plans and menus. Following a high-protein, low-carbohydrate reduced-calorie diet will likely help you lose more body weight and fat than other reduced-calorie diets over the course of six months, according to the American Dietetic Association.
Risks
Consuming large amounts of protein on a long-term basis could cause health problems. Following a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet for along time could cause nutritional deficiencies, constipation or worsened kidney problems. If you use a high-protein, low-carb diet for weight loss, it’s best to do so on a short-term basis and only with permission from your health-care provider.
