You Probably Don’t Need Extra Protein in Your Diet. Here’s Why

The death of a female bodybuilder from Australia who was taking protein supplements has spotlighted concerns over excess protein in a person’s diet.

The death of a female bodybuilder in Australia has raised questions about how much protein in a diet is too much.

Meegan Hefford, 25, mother of two, died in June due to complications from a high protein diet along with urea cycle disorder, a rare genetic condition.

Hefford’s death certificate lists “intake of bodybuilding supplements” as one of the causes, reports USA Today.

Days before her death, Hefford reported feeling “weird”, and had been fatigued, according to her mother.

She was later discovered unconscious in her apartment and rushed to the hospital. Even then, it took two more days for doctors to discover that she had urea cycle disorder.

In a functioning urea cycle, excess ammonia in the body is converted to urea and then excreted from the body through urine.

Urea cycle disorder affects only about 1 in 8,000 individuals. It results in the body’s inability to clear ammonia from the blood stream.

Once this buildup of ammonia (referred to as hyperammonemia) reaches the brain, it can cause confusion, dizziness, and slurred speech — before leading to coma and, potentially, death.

According to the National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation, the condition can occur in both children and adults. Babies are often quickly diagnosed because they may fall ill within the first 48 hours of birth.

However, in children and adults, symptoms may remain undiagnosed if not recognized early on.

High protein diet risks

The relationship between urea cycle disorder and protein certainly played a role in the death of Meegan Hefford.

When the body metabolizes protein, toxic byproducts such as ammonia are formed. Excess consumption of protein, combined with Hefford’s rare condition, made for a deadly combination.

There are others at greater risk of health complications if they are eating a high protein diet.

In an editorial this week, Kristin Kirkpatrick MS, RD, LD, a licensed, registered dietitian who is wellness manager at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, explained that some individuals really do need less protein in their diets.

Individuals with chronic kidney disease, certain liver conditions, and phenylketonuria need to be careful with their protein intake.

On the other hand, athletes, pregnant and breastfeeding women, individuals recovering from surgery, and older adults should all ensure they are taking in a more-than-average amount.

What is enough protein?

But what does that even mean — an average amount of protein?

The problem with current protein guidelines is that unlike other macronutritients (fat and carbohydrate), protein doesn’t really have an upper limit for how much a person should consume in a day.

Kirkpatrick does give a simple calculation to get you in the ballpark.

Take your weight in kilograms multiplied by 0.8 (1 kilogram is equal to about 2.2 pounds). So, a 200-pound man should eat at least 75 grams of protein per day.

“For the healthy individual, there may not be a need to double or triple daily protein intake,” Kirkpatrick told Healthline. “Protein can play a positive role in weight loss, but it’s important not to ignore other macronutrients that contribute to good health and weight, like healthy fats and complex carbohydrates.”

She noted that a one-day protein binge probably isn’t harmful, but a continual high-protein diet can put extra pressure on the kidneys and potentially increase the risk of some kinds of cancer.

Particularly in the fitness community, protein seems to have a reputation as a healthier macronutrient than carbohydrate and fat.

Its role in preserving and building muscle mass is well-known.

Still, there are healthier ways to consume protein than just chugging shakes or eating steaks.

The best places to get protein

Kirkpatrick specifies that the type of protein you eat really matters.

Protein comes from a variety of sources, including fish and plants. She cites a 2017 study that concluded plant-based protein sources helped in preventing type 2 diabetes, while red meat sources actually increased that risk.

Quinoa, beans, legumes, seeds, and nuts are all great sources for plant-based proteins.

It’s also important to be aware of how processed the protein is that you are consuming.

Kirkpatrick recommends you consume proteins closer to their natural forms rather than in bars, shakes, or veggie burgers.

The more processed your protein (or any food really), the more likely it is to contain hidden sugars and unwanted ingredients.

The bottom line is that when it comes to protein, more is not necessarily better.

Your lifestyle, health, and activity levels should always be taken into consideration when considering altering your diet.

“In the world of food, you can have too much of any good thing. Protein included,” wrote Kirkpatrick.

7 of the Healthiest Foods You Should Be Eating But Aren't

If you want to get the most nutritional bang for your buck, the best deals are “superfoods.” These nutritional superstars are far more plentiful in nutrients than they are in calories and that research has shown deliver health benefits. You’re probably already eating a lot of everyday superfoods—like bananas, eggs and broccoli—and maybe even some exotic ones (acai, anyone?).

But what about the power-packed foods filled with good-for-you vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting phytochemicals you aren’t eating? Here are 7 of the healthiest foods that you should be eating but probably aren’t (or at least aren’t getting enough of).

1. Kale

On top of delivering a raft of cancer-fighting antioxidants, kale is one of the vegetable world’s top sources of vitamin A, which promotes eye and skin health and may help strengthen the immune system. It’s a good source of heart-healthy fiber and a 1-cup serving has almost as much vitamin C as an orange. What’s not to love?

2. Sardines

Sardines are one of the best sources of heart-healthy, mood-boosting omega-3 fats, and they’re packed with vitamin D. And because sardines are small and low on the food chain, they don’t harbor lots of toxins as bigger fish can.

3. Pomegranate

This vibrant fruit is chock–full of antioxidants, natural chemicals found in plants that mop up harmful free radicals, which damage tissues and may contribute to a variety of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer. Don’t have time to prepare the fruit? You can get many of the same benefits from drinking a glass of pomegranate juice! Don’t pass up an opportunity to enjoy the fruit itself, however—the tart, jelly-like taste is unique and wonderful. A 1-cup serving of juice has 150 calories and 1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds has only 72 calories and 4 grams of fiber!

4. Oatmeal

Oatmeal has 4 grams of fiber per cup and research suggests that increasing your intake of soluble fiber (a type found in oatmeal) by 5 to 10 grams each day could result in a 5 percent drop in “bad” LDL cholesterol. Also, according to a study in the Journal of Nutrition, eating a breakfast made with “slow-release” carbohydrates, such as oatmeal, three hours before you exercise may help you burn more fat. Here’s why: in the study, eating “slow-release” carbohydrates didn’t spike blood sugar as high as eating refined carbohydrates, such as white toast. In turn, insulin levels didn’t spike as high, and because insulin plays a role in signaling your body to store fat, having lower levels may help you burn fat.

5. Quinoa

Quinoa is a delicately flavored whole grain packed with fiber and protein and, to top it off, it only takes 15 to 20 minutes to cook. That combination of fiber and protein has an extra value too: research shows that the two together can help you feel full for longer.

6. Kefir

Think yogurt in a glass. This drinkable fermented dairy beverage is packed with beneficial probiotics that may help give your immune system a little extra edge, plus 29 percent of your daily value of calcium per 8-ounce serving. Look for it in your supermarket’s dairy section; choose plain for less sugar and fewer calories or fresh fruit flavors, such as peach and raspberry, for extra taste.

7. Lentils

Lentils are a versatile, budget-friendly and healthy addition to many dinner recipes. A half-cup of cooked lentils contains over 9 grams of protein and a jaw-dropping 8 grams of dietary fiber. Lentils are also a good source of iron and an excellent source of folate.

10 strength-building strategies that will never die

Strength is the foundation of everyday acts of athleticism (like hitting a 300-yard drive in golf) and not-so-human feats (like J.J. Watt's 5'1" box jump). Strength isn't limited to muscle size and capacity. When you get stronger, you're better able to lose weight, run faster, and hit harder.

Convinced you need to work on your strength? We've got 10 no-frills tips to help you make everything in your life feel just a little bit easier (and much lighter).

1. Own the "big four"

The squat, deadlift, bench press, and shoulder press are the best strength-building exercises, period. The chinup and row are great moves too, but don't make them the focus of your workout—they can be assistance lifts to complement the bench and shoulder press, keeping your pulling muscles in balance with the pressing ones.

2. Use barbells first

Forget all the fad equipment. The barbell is king, dumbbell is queen, and everything else is a court jester—they may have their place, but they're not essential. Start your workouts with barbell exercises, such as the "big four," as described above. Barbells let you load a lot of weight, and lifting heavy is the first step toward getting stronger. Once your heaviest strength exercises are out of the way, you can move on to dumbbell and bodyweight training.

3. Keep it simple

Some trainers make their clients lift with a certain rep speed, like three seconds up, one second down. That's great for advanced lifters, but if you're just starting out know this: There's no need to count anything but reps during a set. Simply focus on raising and lowering your weights in a controlled manner, pausing for a one-second count at the top of the lift. Using an arbitrary tempo can lessen tension on your muscles or force you to use varying amounts of weight, slowing your progress. The only way to be sure you're getting stronger is if your loads consistently increase.

4. Maintain a log

Write down your exercises, sets, reps, and the fate of each workout. Keep track of your best lifts and the most reps you've done with a certain weight on an exercise. Constantly strive to improve those numbers.

5. Don't overdo it

Try to stick to three or four lifts per workout. Keeping your workouts short helps you take advantage of hormonal surges. When you do too many exercises in a session, at least some of them get done half-assed. All you need is one main lift per workout (one of the big four), one or two assistance lifts (for keeping the body in balance and further strengthening the muscles that perform the main lift), then core or specialty work at the end (abs exercises or some forearms or calves moves, depending on your goals). Doing any more lessens your results.

6. Think five

You should rotate many different rep ranges in your workouts, but sets of five seem to offer the best blend of muscle size and strength gains. If you're pushing through one of the big four moves, you'll find that your form often breaks down after five anyway.

7. Add weights slowly

The main reason people plateau and stop gaining strength is that they go too heavy for too long. Abandon your ego and do your main lifts using 10% less than the most weight you can lift for the given rep range. Increase the weight each session — but by no more than 10 pounds — and stick with the same lifts. You'll rarely plateau again.

8. Take to the hills

Cardio is a must if you want to be lean and healthy, but long-distance running or cycling increases levels of hormones that break down muscle tissue. To get stronger while getting leaner, do cardio in short, intense bursts. Go to a moderately steep hill and sprint to the top, then walk back down. When you're ready, sprint again. In your first workout, do only half as many sprints as you think you could. In your next workout, do two more sprints than you did the first time. Continue adding two sprints to your workouts until you can't improve anymore. Then do sets of sprints.

9. Balance your training

Whatever you do for one side of the body, you must do for the other side. Follow that rule in your workouts and you should be able to avoid injury and muscle imbalances. If you're doing squats (mainly a quad exercise), also do Romanian deadlifts (which hit the hamstrings hard). Your chest exercises should be balanced with back-training lifts. You don't necessarily have to do your balance work in the same session, but it should be done in the same week. In general, follow a ratio of two-to-one between your pulling-and-pushing movements. So if you bench-press on Monday (and most of the world seems to), you can do chinups on Tuesday and bent-over lateral raises on Thursday, for example. Every other pressing exercise you do should follow this formula.

10. Do it right 

You may think you know how to perform the big four, but you could probably get more out of them. Here are some quick pointers for each one.

Squat: Begin the squat by pushing your hips back as far as you can. Keep your lower back arched and you should feel a stretch in your hamstrings. When your hips are bent, begin bending your knees and squatting low. This is what you need to squat maximal weight.

Deadlift: Use the same stance you would to perform a jump — your legs should be narrowly placed. When you bend down to grab the bar, keep your hips down and your back straight, with your shoulders directly over your knees.

Bench Press: Start with your head off the bench. Keeping your feet steady, grab the bar and pull your body up off the bench and forward, so that when your butt comes down on the bench your lower back is very arched. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Your range of motion should be significantly shorter for stronger pressing.

Shoulder press: Flare your lats when the bar is at shoulder level. It will allow you to use more weight.