![[Vic Terry, P.C.]](../Images/lovt.gif){kind=small}
Dallas, Texas USA
Specializing in helping people since 1961
Too much protein can lead to kidney damage and premature kidney failure. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of protein is approximately .8 grams of protein for every kilogram of weight (approximately 2.2 pounds). So, for a 200 pound person, the RDA of protein would be 70 to 75 grams. However, there is a lot of evidence that even this much protein is bad for the kidneys on a long term basis.
However, high protein dietary supplements have become extremely popular. What was once a fad limited to weight lifters, bodybuilders, and professional athletes, has become a widespread practice throughout our culture. Some of these supplements, when combined with a normal diet, provide as much as 250 to 500 grams of protein per day. While the kidneys may be able to process this much protein under certain conditions, or on a very occasional basis, this much protein on a daily or near daily basis may be disastrous.
The problem is that the body has no way of storing excess protein; it must go out through the kidneys. The kidneys are simply not made to process massive amounts of protein all the time. Too much protein, on a regular basis, for too long simply wears the kidneys out, and sometimes leads to renal failure.
Excess protein also increases the risk of kidney stones. Occasional stones, though they are excruciatingly painful, may not cause much permanent damage. However, too many stones can seriously damage or destroy the kidneys. Further, the calcium that helps form the kidney stones is calcium that comes from bones or from the dietary calcium that should form bones. Therefore, excess protein may also be a risk factor for osteoporosis, a disease marked by too little calcium in the bones.
High amounts of protein will also aggravate or accelerate existing kidney problems. For instance, diabetics frequently have weakened kidneys, and too much protein can cause further damage. One problem is that most routine kidney tests do not detect all kidney diseases. Therefore, "beefing-up" with excessive protein can be a form of Russian Roulette for the kidneys.
The first solution to this problem is to warn people that too much protein can be very dangerous. The second is to restrict the sale of dietary supplements that supply vastly more than the RDA of protein. These products can be extremely dangerous to some people, and should not be on the market for general consumption by the public.
