Excess Protein On Keto: Good Or Bad?

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can boost ketone levels and help you enter nutritional ketosis, a metabolic state where fat is burned for energy instead of glucose. While controlling carb intake is essential on keto, monitoring protein intake is also important. Protein is a necessary component of any diet, offering benefits such as healthy brain function, skin, bone and muscle health, building muscle mass, and aiding workout recovery. However, there is a common misconception that overeating protein might kick the body out of ketosis.

The body can turn protein into glucose through a process called gluconeogenesis, leading some to believe that excess protein intake can interfere with ketosis. However, this claim has been disproven. Gluconeogenesis is a vital process that occurs regardless of protein intake, and it does not hinder ketosis. In fact, it makes ketosis possible by preventing hypoglycemia, fuelling tissues that can't use ketones, and resupplying glycogen stores.

While it is important to monitor protein intake, especially for those with pre-existing kidney issues, the idea that too much protein is bad for ketosis is a myth. Eating adequate amounts of protein is beneficial, helping the body stay in fat-burning mode, providing essential nutrients, and preventing protein deficiency, which can have serious side effects. To calculate the optimal amount of protein for your keto diet, it is recommended to use a keto macro calculator, which considers factors like weight, height, age, and activity level.

Protein is a building block of life and a necessary component of any diet

Protein is important for growth and development in children, teens, and pregnant women. It is also crucial for healthy brain function, skin, bone, and muscle health, building muscle mass, and recovering after workouts. These benefits promote longevity, prevent injuries, and boost metabolism.

Protein-rich foods increase our feeling of fullness more than foods high in fat or carbohydrates. Eating protein-rich foods can help reduce overall calorie intake and prompt weight loss. Protein is also essential for the repair and maintenance of muscle mass, which is especially important for older adults to prevent and manage sarcopenia.

The amount of protein you need in your diet depends on your overall calorie needs. The daily recommended intake of protein for healthy adults is 10% to 35% of your total calorie needs, or 0.83g of protein per kg of body weight per day. This amount can vary depending on factors such as age, body weight, body composition, height, and activity level.

Protein can be found in both plant and animal-based foods. Animal sources of protein include meats, milk, fish, and eggs. Plant-based sources include soy, beans, legumes, nut butters, and some grains such as wheat germ and quinoa. It is important to consume protein from a variety of sources to benefit both our health and the planet.

Excess protein can be converted into glucose, which can kick you out of ketosis

Excess protein can be converted into glucose, but this process, called gluconeogenesis, is necessary for survival. It is a metabolic pathway that allows your liver and kidneys to make glucose from non-carbohydrate sources. It is not the enemy of ketosis; in fact, it makes ketosis possible in the first place.

Gluconeogenesis is an extremely stable process. It's not easy to increase it even with extra protein. When you eat chocolate cake, your blood glucose quickly spikes in response to that sugar. When you eat extra protein, your blood glucose doesn't spike the same way. Studies have shown that gluconeogenesis production doesn't increase even with extra amino acids.

Your body needs glucose and glycogen to keep you healthy, even in ketosis, and it will get this via survival mechanisms like gluconeogenesis. On a keto diet, your body uses gluconeogenesis for three primary purposes:

• Preventing hypoglycemia: Your glucose levels can never drop to zero, even in ketosis. Gluconeogenesis keeps your blood sugar in a healthy range, so it doesn't fall to dangerous levels.
• Fueling tissues that can't use ketones: There are a handful of cells in your body that can only use glucose to survive, including red blood cells, the inner part of the kidney, testicles, and some portions of your brain. Ketones can cover up to 70% of your brain's energy needs, while the glucose from gluconeogenesis covers the rest. The other organs can't metabolize ketones at all.
• Resupplying glycogen stores: You can replenish muscle glycogen through the gluconeogenesis that happens during ketosis—at least if you're not a professional athlete or participating in competitions. Glycogen is crucial for muscle recovery after workouts.

If gluconeogenesis didn't make enough glucose to cover these functions, your body could never make the switch to using ketones for energy because some cells (like red blood cells) would die, and your blood sugar would drop too low.

While controlling carb intake is essential on keto, so too is monitoring protein intake. On keto, you'll consume adequate amounts of protein—never less than you need. This is one of the most challenging macros to nail down when starting keto due to all the conflicting information about it.

Protein is a building block of life and a necessary component of any diet. It's crucial for:

• Healthy brain function
• Skin, bone, and muscle health
• Building muscle mass
• Recovering after workouts

These benefits promote longevity, prevent injuries, and boost your metabolism.

The body uses gluconeogenesis to create glucose from non-carb sources, including protein

Gluconeogenesis is a metabolic pathway that allows the body to create glucose from non-carbohydrate sources. This process occurs in the liver and kidneys and is necessary for survival.

The body can use gluconeogenesis to create glucose from lactate, glycerol, and certain amino acids (protein). This process is especially important for those on a low-carb diet, as it ensures the body has enough glucose to function.

Gluconeogenesis is not the enemy of ketosis; in fact, it makes ketosis possible in the first place. This is because certain tissues in the body, such as red blood cells, the renal medulla, and the testes, rely exclusively on glucose for energy. Without gluconeogenesis, these tissues could malfunction, and blood sugar levels could drop to dangerous levels.

While it is a myth that too much protein can kick you out of ketosis, it is important to note that protein has a moderate insulin-stimulating effect. This means that in situations where insulin increases, fatty oxidation decreases, which can inhibit ketone production. Additionally, the amino acid alanine may suppress ketone production.

To ensure you are getting enough protein without interfering with ketosis, it is recommended to calculate your keto macros and stick close to the daily maximums. You may also need to increase your protein intake if you are highly active or exercising regularly. Testing your blood with a ketone and blood glucose meter can also help you determine your ideal protein intake.

Protein has a moderate insulin-stimulating effect, which can decrease ketone production

Additionally, some amino acids are considered glucogenic, meaning they can be converted into glucose, especially when consumed in excess. This means that, depending on how your body reacts to eating more protein than it requires, you may experience noticeably lower ketone levels and perhaps even discover that you are no longer in ketosis.

However, gluconeogenesis—the process by which your body makes glucose from non-carb sources—happens continuously, regardless of your protein intake, because certain tissues in your body rely exclusively on glucose. These include your red blood cells, renal medulla, and testes. When you are not consuming carbs that are easily converted to glucose, the body uses this method to produce glucose.

In other words, gluconeogenesis makes it possible to maintain a state of ketosis by ensuring that glucose-dependent tissues don’t malfunction.

The ideal protein intake on keto depends on factors like genetics, gender, current macronutrient and calorie intake, and activity levels

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can help with weight loss, managing type 2 diabetes, and preventing chronic illnesses like cancer and heart disease. The keto diet typically consists of 55% to 60% fat, 30% to 35% protein, and 5% to 10% carbohydrates. However, the ideal protein intake on keto can vary from person to person and depends on several factors.

One factor that affects protein intake is activity level. People who are sedentary should consume a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. If you're an athlete or looking to build muscle, aim for 1-1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

Another factor is gender. Men typically require more protein than women due to having more muscle mass and a higher resting metabolic rate.

Genetics also plays a role in ideal protein intake. Some people may be more sensitive to the effects of protein on ketosis, while others can tolerate higher protein intakes without being kicked out of ketosis.

Current macronutrient and calorie intake can also impact ideal protein intake on keto. If you're consuming a calorie deficit to lose weight, you may need more protein to preserve or build lean muscle mass.

Additionally, certain health conditions or goals may require adjustments to protein intake. For example, older adults looking to maintain muscle mass and physical function may benefit from a higher protein intake, while those with type 2 diabetes may need to monitor their protein intake to manage blood sugar levels effectively.

In general, it's recommended to consume between 1.6 to 3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight on keto, depending on your individual needs and activity level. However, it's important to prioritize healthy protein sources and not overconsume processed meats, as they have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and other health issues.

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