Some people cannot eat as much protein as others because of conditions that interfere with digestion.
Risk factors associated with developing side effects from protein overconsumption include the following:
- kidney and liver conditions
- low carbohydrate intake
- starvation
- gout
- being deficient in nutrients needed for protein metabolites, including glucose, arginine, glutamine, and vitamins B-6, B-12, and folate
Takeaway
High-protein diets are popular, and studies show that high-protein foods may help to:
- increase satiety or the sensation of fullness after meals
- control and reduce appetite and food cravings
- aid in weight loss and fat mass loss
- control neural stimuli related to food and food behaviors
According to national statistics gathered between 2011 and 2014, most American adults of 20 years of age or more only consumed between 15.6 and 16.1 percentTrusted Source of their daily energy intake from protein.
Most people can, therefore, probably increase their protein intake safely, as long as they are not also cutting back on carbohydrates or have liver or kidney conditions.
People should talk with a doctor or nutritionist before starting a very high-protein diet long-term.