Are you able to overdose on protein? It might be attainable if in case you have a uncommon genetic situation that doesn’t allow you to break down the macronutrient, experiences PerthNow, a neighborhood information website in Australia.
In direction of the tip of June, Meegan Hefford—a 25-year-old bodybuilder and mom of two—was discovered unconscious in her West Australia condominium. After being rushed to the hospital, she was declared mind lifeless and died two days later.
The perpetrator? An excessive amount of protein. Hefford, who competed in a bodybuilding competitors in 2014, didn’t know she had urea cycle dysfunction, a uncommon genetic dysfunction that ends in enzyme deficiency, in line with the Nationwide Institutes of Well being.
Right here’s what which means: While you devour extra protein than your physique wants, the surplus is damaged down into natural acids and ammonia. For a mean particular person, that’s no huge deal, since your liver works its magic and converts it into innocent waste. However for somebody with urea cycle dysfunction, your physique can’t effectively take away that extra ammonia out of your blood stream, so it builds up and turns into poisonous. If it reaches your mind by means of your blood, it may well trigger irreversible injury and even demise.
Whereas the dysfunction is tremendous uncommon, Hefford simply didn’t know she was one of many few who had it—and since she was set to compete in a bodybuilding competitors in September, she had been ramping up her protein consumption, which included dietary supplements.
“Extra dietary supplements could be extra harmful if somebody already has well being situations, like renal impairment, however individuals received’t essentially know they’ve that, in order that’s why individuals should be cautious and persist with what the rules say,” Simone Austin, a sports activities dietician in Australia, advised PerthNow. (Listed here are three dietary supplements that truly work—and three which might be losing your cash.)
So what does this imply for you? Don’t freak out simply but. If you happen to’re a traditional wholesome man, overdosing on protein isn’t seemingly.
How Protein Turns into Muscle:
Your private consumption is dependent upon your weight and what your exercises seem like. Most extremely educated athletes just do effective with 0.77 grams of each day protein per pound of physique weight, diet and train researcher Mark Tarnopolsky, M.D., Ph.D, defined to us prior to now. So if you happen to’re 180 kilos, that equates to 139 grams of protein a day.
If you happen to’re not an athlete, however nonetheless hit the gymnasium not less than 5 days per week for an hour per session, 0.55 grams of protein per pound ought to suffice. (Undecided how a lot protein you want publish exercise? Learn this.)
Backside line: Even if you happen to’re not affected by a uncommon genetic dysfunction, extra protein doesn’t at all times imply extra outcomes. However Hefford’s case is tragic and illustrates that you simply won’t understand you’ve got an underlying well being situation that would mess with the way in which your physique digests protein dietary supplements—or any complement on the whole. If you happen to’re undecided how a lot you have to be taking, discuss to your physician to ensure you’re consuming a secure dose.
