What are the risks associated with eating too much protein? Below are 5 risks.

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Consuming high amount of protein for very long time can expose you to certain risks, as is the case with all other nutrients consumed in high amounts.

There are good benefits involved in consuming high amount of protein diet. But it's important the health concerns related to excess protein in the body, especially if you follow and excessively high-protein diet for an extended period.

Below are 5 of these risks:

1. Constipation: High-protein diets that restrict carbohydrates are typically low in fiber. This can be prevented by increasing you water and fiber intake.

2. Diarrhea: Consuming too much processed food, coupled with lack of fiber, can cause diarrhea. Drink plenty of water, avoid caffeinated beverages, limit fried foods. Avoid excess fat consumption and increase fiber intake.

3. Bad breath: If your carbohydrate intake is restricted, alongside consuming high amounts of protein, this can lead to bad breath. This is because the body goes into a metabolic state "ketosis" which produces chemicals that give off unpleasant smells. Brushing and flossing won't get rid of the smell. But drinking more water and brushing your teeth more often could help. Chewing gum could help too.

4. Dehydration: Excess nitrogen is flushed out of the body using fluids and water. This makes your body dehydrated though your thirst won't increase. This risks can be minimized by increasing water intake. Drinking much water a day is very important regardless of protein consumption.

5. Weight gain: High-protein diets can improve weight loss significantly, but its short-termed. Excess protein is stored as fat, while the surplus amino acids is excreted. This can lead to weight gain over time. Replacing carbohydrates on your diets with protein can lead to weight gain. Its better to replace fats with protein if you're not trying to gain weight.


How to go about protein consumption?

The ideal amount of daily protein that you should consume varies depending on a number of factors, including age, gender, activity, health, total diet and other variables.

For most adults with minimal physical activity, experts recommend consuming a minimum daily average of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram (kg) of body weight.

If you exercise primarily with weights or body weight for more than one hour most days of the week, you may do well eating up to 1.2 to 1.7 grams per kg of body weight each day.

However, some people, including elite athletes, may be able to eat as much as 3.5 g per kg of body weight without any side effects.

In general, experts also believe that most healthy adults can tolerate eating 2 g of protein per kg of body weight per day over the long term.