3 health problems associated with excessive protein intake

Every cell and organ in your body needs protein, but taking in too much of it can cause unpleasant symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea.
You could also develop more serious problems, as excessive protein leads to a buildup of amino acids, insulin or ammonia in your blood stream.


For maximum health, get only the recommended amount of protein from nutritious, low-fat, low-cholesterol food sources.
Below are 3 health issues which may develop if you consume excessive protein

Weight Gain: Your body can only use a certain amount of protein each day. If you take in too much protein, you may gain weight. Each gram of protein has 4 calories. If you take in 100 grams of protein, but your body can only use 50 grams of it, your body will store the extra 200 calories’ worth of protein as fat. Doing this daily can cause you to take in 1,400 extra calories per week, resulting in a weight gain of almost 2 pounds per month.


Reduced Liver and Brain Function: An excessive protein intake can be harmful to your liver, brain and nervous system. When you eat protein, your body produces ammonia, a toxin that your liver makes harmless, according to Medline Plus. Eating too much protein over a long period of time can cause your liver to become overworked, allowing ammonia and other toxic substances to build up in your bloodstream. This can lead to hepatic encephalopathy, a condition marked by a decline in brain and nervous system function.

High Cholesterol: Many high-protein foods, particularly from animal sources, contain an abundance of cholesterol, which contributes to the development of hardened arteries that can lead to serious medical conditions, such as heart attack and stroke. It is recommended to limit your cholesterol intake to no more than 200 milligrams per day, but a 6-ounce broiled porterhouse steak has 126 milligrams of cholesterol and half a roasted chicken breast has 83 milligrams of cholesterol.