Can you get too MUCH Protein at a time?

(Davy) #1

For you long term Keto’ers and Carnivores especially… I googled and the concensus was that 35 g of protein is the most your body can handle.
If you Keto/Carnivore and you eat 2 meals a day, you’ll get 50-60g if a Keto and maybe twice that 35g if you’re a Carnivore.
Is that safe? or okay? Can the body handle that overload or does it just dispose of the excess? (that google page said the excess will turn to fat or will be pooped out)

(bulkbiker) #2

I tend to average about 150-200g of protein per day… no probs so far… 18 month 95% meat based.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #3

What ‘concensus’? 35 grams per meal, per day, per KG of lean body mass? I eat 100 grams of protein daily. That’s 1.5 gr/Kg total weight. There are folks here who eat 200 grams or more protein at a single meal! I am not aware of anyone reporting problems. Any protein/amino acids not required for maintenance and repair get metabolized as fuel, albeit less efficiently than either fats or carbs. But maybe you want that, since it accelerates the thermogenic effect. There is a now debunked theory that ‘excess’ protein is converted into glucose. More recent research has shown that gluconeogenesis is demand driven, not supply driven; both fat and amino acids can be used as the raw ingredients. If you are consistently in ketosis, then the demand for glucose remains very low.

(Jane Srygley) #4

Do you know where you read that or do I need to check with my buddy google?

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #5

Here’s probably the most readable reference, but you can consult your buddy Google or Duckduck too:

(Jane Srygley) #6

Duckduck is my dude LOL Thanks so much!!!

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #7

Bikman talks a lot about protein and gluconeogenesis. In fact, I base my macros on Bikman’s opinion that daily protein intake should be within a range of plus/minus 1.5 grams per kilo of total body weight. Most other sources use lean body mass, which is much more difficult to determine accurately.

Berger’s article explains all the various purposes to which protein is put by metabolism. It’s way more complex than ‘you have to pump iron to build muscle, otherwise all that protein will turn into a beer gut’.

(Bob M) #8

I think this is a good idea, too. Even though I have had three DEXA scans done, and therefore “know” how much lean body mass I have, the last one was done over a year ago, and I’ve since lost scale weight while at the same time getting stronger. I assume my protein requirement could have changed, but without another DEXA scan, I wouldn’t be able to tell. I can easily get on the scale, though.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #9

The only caveat, I think, is that it probably doesn’t work for people who are significantly overweight. I can’t remember offhand what Bikman says about that. If someone is 350-400 pounds, should they eat 250 grams of protein? Sure, they’ve probably got more muscle mass to support the weight, but do they really need that much protein for upkeep? I don’t think so.

#10

I am coming at ya from this point of view :wink:

If you adopt carnivore, you eat all the meat you need to eat at any given time in the day.

You must must must throw out ALL the OLD myths about your body only needs ‘xyz’ amt of protein etc. When adopting carnivore we don’t macro or count or track or go by old myths that we know what the physical body needs at any given time by any paper calculations.

The beauty of this plan is you eat as much as you need to never be hungry. You can start off eating so much you think along the lines of…this just can’t be right :slight_smile: But it is.

One day of eating for me is something like this when I started carnivore back in the day. I ate 2 meals per day cause that is still how I mostly eat…2 per day with a lot of days doing 1. But I never follow anything but my hunger.

first meal
1 lb. hamburger patty with 2 fried eggs and like 6-8 slices bacon

second meal
1 lb. ribeye steak
1/2 lb. of peel and eat shrimp sautéed in butter

I don’t care one bit about anything in calories…macros…tracking whatever is in any of that LOL

I just eat. I am a gal. I can eat all that and lose weight easily doing just that…but forget about the total focus being dropping weight on carnivore. It is eat all you must to heal your internal body. Let it re-balance and more. Then as your body heals you will drop lbs. Or you might drop faster in the beginning if you come from a heavier situation…so it will be your personal carnivore journey.

There truly is not an overload as you are thinking.

Your body will shut you down when it gets its’ fill. You won’t be able to eat another bite. That is when your body says it is done and you don’t have to worry about any of it but listen to your body.

So that is a carnivore attitude answering your questions. Tons more good info in the carnivore category area that might help you.

(Davy) #11

Thanks Fang. Yep, I’ve been looking at the Carnivore section. You guys are right; I’ve been looking and reading about the old myths, similar to Saturated Fat causes heart disease.
Think I’ll go half Carnivore today. Am currently reading The Fat of the Land.

(Windmill Tilter) #12

I have happily eaten >3000 kcal of carnivore fare daily in a tiny eating window, and did so for long stretch of time. At the time, I was eating 12 days a month and fasting the other 18 (3 Fast: 2 Feast eating pattern) and eating carnivore as an experiment. I felt 10 years younger, and I raised my leg press 1RM from ~600lbs up to ~700lbs during that time period. I’m nearly 42 YO.

Most absolutes/consensus when it comes to human metabolism are bullshit. My bariatrician told me that the scientific consensus was that my best bet was the DASH diet and weight loss surgery. That was bullshit too. You’d be surprised what’s possible.

There are people on this forum doing anything you can imagine, and many things you can’t within the umbrella of “Low Carb High Fat”. There are 1000 variations. Figure out what feels good for you, meets your objectives, and is sustainable for you. Start thinking of yourself in terms of n=1 and forget about the consensus. That’s my 2 cents anyway.

That said, my advice is always to start simple and add complexity if necessary. Just try boring keto with no exercise and see what happens for 8 weeks. If that doesn’t move the needle or you just don’t like it and you want to try something else, start experimenting.

(Jack Bennett) #13

35g over what time interval?

I find if I get >180-200g protein at a single meal I note symptoms of protein overload (ammonia taste, mild nausea, etc). But it’s probably different for different people.

(Davy) #14

35g at a single meal, <20 minutes.
I’m starting to think this may just be another myth.
So you eat only once a day?

(Bob M) #15

I fasted 36 hours, went to the gym, waited a while, then had a ton of London broil/top round, which is lean beef. I estimated (as I knew how big the pieces were) over 2 pounds of meat, over 220 grams of protein. That seemed to make me slightly sick. Probably too much protein and too low fat. However, I’ve eaten plenty of low fat meals (shrimp, mussels, fish) with 160+ grams of protein with no ill effects.

(Jack Bennett) #16

Yeah I have been doing OMAD (during the work week) for a few months now.

I wouldn’t have guessed or known this limit for myself without empirical observation. Also, it might change if (e.g.) I started extreme weight training or endurance exercise, for example.

(traci simpson) #17

My body tells me when I’m done eating meat. Don’t know how else to say it.

#18

I don’t know where that consensus came from, but that number isn’t enough for almost anybody. Eat the protein you want. I hover in the low 200’s and may be upping it more after doing some testing. I was keeping it around 100 for a while and over the course of about 6mo lost a ton of strength, screw that!

(Bob M) #19

By the way, if I’m eating top round, I take some kind of fat to add to it, such as blue cheese or sour cream. I’m a fan of higher protein, lower fat, but I think there is such a thing as too high protein and too low fat. So, I back off the protein a bit and add a bit of fat.