by: Stefan Simonovic
Anyone who's ever taken workouts seriously is aware that protein is a much-needed resource for any muscle-building process. Basically, if you're not one of those people who sit around all day browsing through transgender dating websites and prefer going to the gym instead, you probably know how important protein is for your muscles.
However, the fact is that too much of anything can be bad, and this applies to protein intakes as well. With that said, let's look at negative effects that might follow an uncontrolled protein diet.
Can't Argue with Science
As much as many bodybuilders would like for it not to be true, actual science has proven that protein can indeed be harmful if taken excessively as part of a post-workout routine. As it happens, a study published in 2014 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has shown exactly that.
For the study, the research team tested multiple subjects by letting them intake 10, 20 and 40 grams of protein, while there was even one group that had no protein after a workout. The results consistently showed that those who took no protein had a much slower recovery period with no real negative effects, while those who took as much as 40 grams showed signs of increased ammonia production levels.
To put it simply, having too much protein after workout puts a lot of pressure on your kidneys because they now must clean out all that excess ammonia that you have produced thanks to overdoing it with protein.
More Isn't Always Better
Another thing science has thought us is that protein is the literal building block of the muscle. Not only is it needed for increasing your muscle size and strength, but it's also used in the pre-workout process to give your muscle tissue enough energy for the actual exercise you're planning on performing.
Furthermore, it's now known that 20g of protein is just about the perfect amount for your muscles to normally recover after any workout. This amount of protein can be consumed from 2 large eggs or a 6-8oz portion of chicken, beef or fish. Even a couple of scoops of pure whey protein will do the trick here.
What you want to achieve is not abnormal growth in size and strength, but a naturally maximized hypertrophy. Your secondary goal should also be leaving some room for a healthy diet that will allow you to intake other important nutrients.
Many people, especially beginners believe that the more protein they consume, the more their muscles will gain in power and size. However, too much of anything can be bad for us, even if its original use is a beneficial one. And again, to the sadness of all bodybuilders out there, too much protein can do you more harm than good.
About the author:
Stefan is a writer and a blogger in his spare time. He also works for First Beat Media, a company that mainly focuses on the online dating niche and similar services.
