Is too much protein dangerous?

Twenty-five years ago, there was plenty of skepticism about protein.

After all, bodybuilders ate lots of it—and they experimented with all kinds of “questionable” things.

Plus, the late 1990s ushered in the rise of high-protein diets for weight loss—an approach many health experts then labeled as “unsafe.”

Over the years, much of the hand-wringing about protein has faded. (And some of those same experts now advise people to “eat more protein.”)

But one claim won’t seem to die: “Protein is bad for your kidneys.”

Spoiler: It’s a myth.

Here’s why: The concern about high protein and kidneys began because doctors tell people with poorly functioning kidneys—usually from pre-existing kidney disease—to eat a low-protein diet.

But, but, but…

There’s a big difference between avoiding protein because your kidneys are already damaged versus protein actively damaging healthy kidneys.

Eating more protein does increase how much your kidneys have to work, just like jogging increases how much your legs have to work.

But protein hasn’t been shown to cause kidney damage.

Clinical studies show people can eat up to 4.4 g of protein per kg body weight (or 2 g per pound) without any short-term health problems. (Granted, that’s a very high intake and very few people would ever voluntarily consume that much.)

Copyright: Precision Nutrition