Focus on protein can build muscle but presents some health concerns if overdone

Mass. — Adding muscle and losing weight are popular goals these days.

They’re causing many people to increase their intake of protein. Often by a lot.

Protein is an important part of any diet, but piling it on can be bad for your health.

Planet Fitness in Watertown has loaded up weights because there’s so much interest in bulking up.

Trainer Dylan Tanner said, “We’re seeing a big uptick in popularity with strength training, strength-based fitness.”

Building muscle and losing weight often means the need for extra protein.

Saul Johnson-Green of Newton said protein is “Very, very important. A lot of eggs, a lot of chicken.”

Joe McNamara of Newton said, “I have a bad habit of eating bad food, so by drinking protein, it offsets that urge to go get something that I probably shouldn’t be eating, especially after working out.”

Trey Mitchell of Brighton said, “I do a protein shake a day just to make sure I get enough protein in case my meals fall a little short.”

Marc O’Meara, a senior registered licensed dietitian nutritionist with Mass General Brigham, said protein is an important part of anyone’s diet.

“I tell my patients to try to include a little protein with each meal and snack each day.”

Online, it’s easy to find diets and advice from social media influencers pitching meals with hundreds of additional grams of protein.

When asked if these posts are steering people in the wrong direction sometimes, O’Meara answered, “It’s a mixed bag. Some people are giving some really good advice, and others are just kind of taking the results from studies and then like adding on top of that, which is not necessary.”

Too much extra protein can lead to health consequences.

“I’ve had some young patients recently, in their 20s and 30s, who are following some of the guidelines on social media to eat 200 grams of protein every day, which is way higher than they need, and they’ve had kidney trouble,” O’Meara said.

According to the Mayo Clinic, heart disease is another concern.

High-protein diets are often loaded with saturated fat and can increase L-D-L cholesterol, which is the bad one.

Too much protein often means a person isn’t getting enough fiber in their diet. This can cause bad breath, constipation, and other G-I problems.

O’Meara said most people get the amount of protein they need every day just in their regular diet.

He said some groups might need a little extra protein, but not 100s of additional grams each day.

“Typically, people who are probably over 65 years old need a little more protein, women who are pregnant, and then younger people do just because they’re growing in those years.”

He also said serious athletes who work out regularly might also need a little extra protein.

Protein can also help manage a person’s weight because it sends a message to the brain that the body is full by diminishing hunger.

But too much protein can also do the opposite because it can turn into fat if it’s not burned off.

How much protein each person needs is different.

This calculator from the Harvard Medical School can provide a rough guideline.

You should talk to your doctor before making any changes to your overall diet.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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