Consuming too much protein can thrust your kidneys into overdrive. As they rid your body of toxic ketones, you can lose a significant amount of water, which puts you at risk of dehydration, particularly if you exercise heavily. Along with losing water, you lose muscle mass and bone calcium. The dehydration also strains your kidneys, puts stress on your heart, can make you feel weak and dizzy, give you bad breath, or lead to other problems because it leaves your body depleted of essential minerals. The amount of protein you require depends on your weight and your daily caloric intake.
Most people consume more than enough protein in their daily diets.
A few specific groups of people are at risk for being protein-deficient, including elderly women and people with illnesses or eating disorders. A protein deficiency is defined as eating only 50 to 75 percent of the recommended amount of daily protein. So if you weigh 170lbs, you need about 61 grams of protein each day. In a diet of 1800 calories a day, for example, about 270 of those calories should come from protein. Whether you are an avid strength trainer, a marathon runner, or just an average exerciser, a balanced diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish, and complex carbohydrates is what nutritionists recommend.