The cost of too much protein


You see it at the gym, you see it in your fitness magazines, you see it at the nutrition stores. Protein supplements are one of the first things you hear about when looking to build or maintain lean muscle. Does your daily diet provide an appropriate amount of protein? Do you need to buy the supplement to meet your body’s requirement for protein? What impact will too much protein have on your body? These are all questions you need to answer before jumping onto the “protein bandwagon”. For must people, our daily diet provides the amount of protein our bodies need to maintain health. According to the CDC, the recommended daily allowance for protein is 46 grams for an adult female and 56 grams for an adult male. Below is a breakdown of average protein amounts in protein rich foods.



    6 oz. steak = 36 grams of protein
    1 chicken breast = 23 grams of protein
    1 cup of lentils = 18 grams of protein
    1 can of tuna = 42 grams of protein
    1 serving of yogurt = 14 grams of protein
    1 cup of milk = 8 grams of protein





Does your daily diet provide you with the body’s daily requirement? Track your intake and calculate if you are meeting the requirement. If you are protein deficient, a protein supplement may help you reach the right amount. Beware of too much protein intake. Too much protein can be harmful. Excess protein intake can cause damage to your kidneys, reduce bone calcium, cause diarrhea, constipation and dehydration. Knowing your diet and tracking your intake will help prevent a deficiency or excess of protein in your system. In doing so, you will know if a protein supplement is appropriate for you.

Use this chart to help determine your protien intake: protein chart 

sources:


http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=50900


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