Why is it dangerous? This question should be asked by all girls who dream of losing weight and use radical methods for these purposes. Many people know that protein or protein plays an important role in the body. With its help, muscle mass increases. That is why protein-rich meals form the basis of the diet of professional athletes. Protein is not stored as fat; it is almost impossible to gain weight from such food. Excess protein in a healthy person is eliminated naturally. Such properties of protein foods have always attracted nutritionists and athletes, which is why low-calorie protein diets have gained enormous popularity. Few people think about how dangerous they are, because the developers of such diets claim that with their help you can lose 10-15 kg in a month.
You can really get a quick result, but along with it you will face many health problems. protein foods are not as harmless as we think. When building a healthy diet, the balance of all substances and types of foods is important. If the body does not receive enough of something, it will react to it negatively. The consequences of a protein diet may be irreversible.
The essence of the protein diet is to give up carbohydrates in favor of proteins. The basis of the diet is poultry, rabbit, nutria, veal, beef, lean white fish, eggs, low-fat dairy products. Sample menu for the day:
- Breakfast – a portion of cottage cheese or a steam omelette of two chicken proteins;
- Lunch – baked or boiled chicken breast;
- Dinner – a glass of kefir or low-fat unsweetened yogurt.
Such a meager menu does not replenish daily energy losses. A significant calorie deficit arises, and the body begins to actively waste fat reserves. In the first weeks of losing weight, the effect is amazing. The kilograms are melting away very quickly. But over time, the rate of weight loss decreases, and various unpleasant sensations arise.
You can last 3-5 days on this diet without any loss to your health. If the diet is designed for a month, then by the end of this period the person will be excessively exhausted. Long-term refusal of carbohydrates and fats leads to disruption of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
With a protein diet, considerable attention is paid to the quality of products. Considering that most fermented milk products are produced in factories with the addition of palm oil and other trans fats, and poultry meat contains antibiotics, there will be no benefit from such a diet.
Expected effect
Protein diet fans 
claim that active consumption of proteins entails an increase in muscle mass and the displacement of adipose tissue. But we all need to understand that muscle growth is only possible with active and regular exercise in the gym. If you only use dietary restrictions when losing weight, then the effect will be, but not at all the one you expect.
Descriptions of such diets indicate that weight loss is 3-5 kg per week. Dramatic weight loss is fraught with serious health problems, because the body simply does not have time to rebuild.
Adherents of protein diets claim that while losing weight you will feel light throughout your body. Those people who tried to lose weight in this way claim that they always felt tired, apathetic and irritable. The expected effect does not always coincide with reality. You need to prepare for this in advance.
Restrictions and contraindications
The creators of protein diets claim that such methods are suitable for almost everyone. There are still some restrictions. The diet is contraindicated:
- People with gastrointestinal diseases - gastritis, colitis, ulcers;
- Patients with endocrine disorders;
- Patients with diabetes mellitus;
- Patients with cancer.
If you study the diet and meal schedule recommended in the protein diet, it becomes clear that it is not recommended for anyone. Even the healthiest person cannot survive a month under such strict restrictions. You must understand what this means.
Protein really forms the basis of an athlete’s diet, but the main emphasis in creating a menu is on the balance of all the required components - proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
Chicken meat, eggs, and whole milk are strong allergens. If you are prone to allergic reactions, you should not significantly increase the volume of such products, even if you previously consumed them freely. It is impossible to say for sure how the body will react to such sudden changes.
Rational, healthy nutrition, based on the real needs of the body, will bring significantly more benefits than any popular diet.
Potential threat
You should know the dangers of a protein diet for women. Refusal of carbohydrates and fats leads to metabolic disorders. Animal and vegetable fats help increase the elasticity of the skin and blood vessels. Most of the essential vitamins that you need to get into your body every day are fat-soluble.
Carbohydrates are responsible for energy and mental work. If there are not enough long-term sugars, you feel constantly depressed, tired, and productivity at work drops. When playing sports, carbohydrates are essential. They give strength for the training process. If you eat only proteins, you will quickly reach a state of overtraining, from which it is extremely difficult to get out.
Protein without fiber is very difficult to digest. If the diet consists only of meat and fish, then these products linger in the stomach for a long time, simply beginning to rot there. In this way, an impressive amount of toxins enters the bloodstream, and poisoning is possible. Without carbohydrates, the intestines cannot function normally. A person who is on a protein diet develops constipation. Due to metabolic disorders, the kidneys and the entire excretory system suffer. There is a high risk of developing inflammatory processes, kidney stones, cystitis, and bacteriuria. In women, the menstrual cycle is disrupted, and even early menopause is possible.
On a strict protein diet, the body does not receive many useful substances - vitamins, minerals, amino acids. Because of this, the immune system suffers. Any infections immediately cling to you.
Due to a significant calorie deficit, at first you actively lose weight, but the brain perceives such changes as stress. As soon as nutrients begin to actively enter the body in normal amounts after completing the diet, they all go into reserve. That means you gain even more weight. It is extremely difficult to stabilize your weight later.
We can conclude that a long-term strict low-calorie protein diet is ineffective and dangerous for the body. The process of losing weight must be approached competently. There is no need to expect great results in a month. You didn’t gain excess weight right away, which means you need to lose it gradually.
Alternative to protein diets
The only healthy alternative to a protein diet is a balanced, proper diet. Proteins are given a special place in the diet, but they are necessarily supplemented with carbohydrates and fats. To speed up metabolism and speed up metabolic processes, you can use the principles of carbohydrate-protein alternation. Such techniques also come from professional sports. This express diet lasts 3 days. It can be used no more than once every 1-2 months. Its essence is as follows:
- In your daily life, you adhere to the principles of healthy eating;
- The day before the start of carbohydrate alternation, you can arrange an unloading;
- The first two days you eat exclusively protein foods;
- On the third day, give yourself a cheat meal, that is, eat whatever you want, including sweets, any prohibited foods, but within reason;
- Then you return to your usual diet.
On the day when proteins are replaced by carbohydrates, it is necessary to arrange the most active training. The incoming energy must be burned.
Such events will help to establish metabolic processes, but the alternation method is also a kind of stress for the body, so you should not abuse it.
You should not believe the creators of strict low-calorie diets that promise huge weight loss in a short period of time. The extra pounds will return later, and restoring your health will be much more difficult. Instead of strict protein diets, just stick to the rules of a balanced diet.
Protein diets, if used correctly and for a short period of time, are generally not dangerous. Eating high in protein promotes weight loss and keeps you feeling full longer than with a regular diet.
However, research into the risks and consequences of using such diets and limiting the proportion of carbohydrates in the diet has been ongoing for a long time. It has already been proven that long-term use of a protein diet can have a negative impact on health.
Harm of a protein diet
- Deficiency of fiber, nutrients. The reason is the organic amount of carbohydrates consumed. As a result, constipation, headaches, and bad breath may occur.
- Some high-protein diets include foods that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (eg, high-fat dairy products, red meat).
- Such diets also pose a threat to people suffering from various kidney diseases, which is associated with a high likelihood of problems with the elimination of protein metabolic products.
When choosing a high-protein diet for weight loss, you should choose your proteins carefully. The diet should include legumes, fish, soy protein, nuts, lean pork, lean beef, and dairy products with a minimum percentage of fat. It is not recommended to consume processed meat.
It is also important to strictly monitor the quality of carbohydrates. You should exclude those in processed form, and choose those that are rich in nutrients and fiber (fruits, vegetables, whole grain products).
It is recommended that you consult with your doctor before starting a new nutrition program. This is especially necessary if you have kidney problems, if you have been diagnosed with diabetes or any chronic disease.
First of all, there must be an understanding that weight loss may be short-term. This is especially true when a person abruptly returns to the traditional regime and diet.
Harm of a protein diet - Video
Often, in an effort to lose weight as quickly as possible, people can cause irreparable harm to their body.
This, for the most part, occurs as a result of the pursuit of new-fangled diets, without taking into account all the contraindications and potential risks of a limited diet.
Despite the presence of some harm to the body, a protein diet is considered one of the most effective in the fight against extra pounds. It allows you to lose weight without experiencing weakness.
This effect is possible due to the fact that the proteins that form the basis of the diet are processed by the body rather slowly.
Weight loss technique
The essence of such weight loss is that the body is in a state of peculiar stress. Carbohydrates, which are a source of energy, are excluded from the usual diet. This leads to so-called energy deficiency and metabolic restructuring.
Despite the fact that the amount of food consumed is not significantly reduced, the lack of carbohydrates provokes the body to burn glycogen reserves. Already from the first days of a protein diet, you can notice weight loss, but you need to understand why this is dangerous, because first of all, excess fluid is lost. Fats will be used by the body as an additional source of energy much later.
The method of such weight loss is not complicated, but requires adherence to strict rules.
Important! Doctors and nutritionists note the dangers of protein diets, and do not recommend getting carried away with this method of losing weight for more than two weeks. You can repeat the course no earlier. than in a year.
Do's and Don'ts
As with any diet, for protein there is a set of foods that need to be excluded from the diet. These primarily include those that contribute to the rapid formation of fat deposits.
- First of all, this applies to everything sweet. For cakes, pastries and other confectionery products. It is recommended to exclude even sweet fruits from the diet.
- You should not eat baked goods, pasta or flour products.
- During the diet, you will have to forget about fried foods and various sauces for them.
- You should not include potatoes, grains and legumes in your diet.
- You should also refrain from consuming animal fats (butter, etc.).
- Completely eliminate alcoholic, sweet and carbonated drinks.
Products that must be on the table:
- lean meat of any kind - poultry (exclude the use of poultry skin), veal, beef,.
- various offal - beef and chicken liver, lamb or veal tongue.
- all types of seafood, canned food, crab sticks.
- eggs in any form - fried, boiled, omelettes.
- low-fat dairy and fermented milk products.
- bran, oatmeal.
- dried apples and unsweetened pears.
- sweeteners.
- vegetables, tomatoes and cabbage are especially welcome.
- various greens.
- one and a half liters a day.
Attractive aspects
The popularity of protein diets is due to their undoubted advantages.
General disadvantages
In addition to the benefits described above, a protein diet, the harm of which cannot be denied, has several serious disadvantages.
Who is suitable and not suitable
This diet is an excellent solution for people who want to lose weight, but do not want to give up meat.
Important! This option is one of the best choices for athletes looking to gain muscle mass. Eating protein has a beneficial effect on the growth of muscle tissue.
This method of losing weight is unlikely to suit lovers of sweets. Statistics show that after finishing the diet, most people again begin to eat foods high in complex sugars. This leads to the fact that the lost weight is immediately returned, moreover, the kilograms continue to be added.
In addition, a protein diet has contraindications. It is recommended that older people avoid it. This type of diet is fraught with increased blood clotting, which can lead to the formation of blood clots.
What problems are possible
Based on numerous positive reviews, it is wrong to make a decision to switch to a protein diet. Girls who want to go on such a diet for weight loss should be aware of the possible negative consequences, and before starting the diet, decide whether it is harmful.
- Protein products, in particular meat, are more difficult to digest if there is a lack of carbohydrates and fiber. This leads to the fact that foods remain in the intestines for a long time, as a result of which toxins are released and cholesterol levels in the blood increase.
- You may experience bad breath, slow digestion of food, or even “rotting.”
- Due to the fact that weight is lost quickly enough, such an unpleasant effect as sagging skin may appear - it does not have time to quickly take on a new shape. To eliminate this phenomenon, intense physical activity is required to give the skin the necessary elasticity.
- Swelling of the limbs and the appearance of unaesthetic bags under the eyes are possible. This is the first sign that the body is experiencing a disruption in the functioning of the kidneys, and you are one of those for whom a protein diet is contraindicated.
- One possible side effect is constipation due to slow digestion of food.
- Cold protein dishes contribute to the development of gastritis and enterocolitis. Acute stomach pain is one of the first symptoms of these diseases.
- Also disadvantages include a lack of calcium, which provokes a deterioration in the condition of hair, nails and bone fragility.
- You should know that a protein diet can lead to infertility, hormonal imbalance, inflammation of the appendages and dysfunction of the ovaries, which is very dangerous for women.
A few simple tips will help you go through any protein diet easily and maintain your health.
Attention! For those using this diet, moderate physical activity and frequent exposure to fresh air are recommended.
The right way out
In order for the achieved effect to last for a long time, you need to adhere to proper nutrition even after finishing the diet. Don't dramatically increase your portion size.
Products that were previously prohibited should be added to the diet gradually (for example, a small amount of alcohol is allowed only on the fifth day after leaving the diet).
It is better to limit the consumption of sweets and flour. Vegetables and fruits are a good alternative.
The diet should contain enough cereals, meat, dairy and fermented milk products. If you continue to exercise, not only will the weight not return, but your body will also gain sculptural definition.
Perhaps the most popular diet among the people is protein. It is presented as a panacea for excess weight of any severity. Protein is irreplaceable, it is a building material for the body, it is the only food that does not make you fat. But for some reason no one talks about the Chinese torture with meat, but this happened, and, by the way, was considered a particularly cruel and painful death.
If you have already heard rave reviews about an amazing weight loss method, and if your friend has already lost a couple of tens of kilograms using it, and you are ready to run to the nearest store for the necessary products, slow down. And think calmly, don’t you think that a skewed, obviously unbalanced nutrition system cannot be healthy?
Namely, they are skewed: the old Atkins diet, the slightly later Kremlin diet and the more fashionable Dukan diet. The menu is based on animal protein, and the promoters of these diets suggest consuming it in unlimited quantities.
At the same time, you completely give up cereals, potatoes, fruits, and you don’t even eat vegetables every day. But instead, you are allowed to simply overeat with meat, fish, eggs and dairy products.
Protein diet: killer efficiency
Dr. Pierre Dukan does not hesitate to say that a protein diet causes so-called ketosis-lipolysis. The process of fat breakdown, which is accompanied by severe toxicity of the body. That is, you are losing weight because you are poisoning yourself. The persistent smell of acetone coming from your body and mouth is the first sign that your kidneys have stopped coping with the toxins coming from the endless stream of animal protein. The body suffers, accumulates poison and tries to remove it in any way. Appetite, naturally, decreases against this background, you formally lose weight, rejoice at these results, but ruin your health and cause irreparable harm to the body.
According to scientists, the required daily dose of protein is approximately 1.5 g per kilogram of weight. The body weight of an average person is from 50 to 70 kg. That is, you can consume from 75 to 105 g of pure protein per day without risking your life.
What's in a protein diet? 300-500 g of meat per day, plus eggs and cottage cheese, and you get up to 200 grams of protein per day! Can you imagine what forces the gastrointestinal tract will need to grind, digest, break down this burden into components and utilize it?
With such a protein attack, the pancreas has to secrete a huge amount of trepsin, an enzyme for digesting protein foods. This causes acute or chronic pancreatitis.
You hardly want to see what kind of garbage dump your intestines turn into with an excessive love of animal products. The liver and pancreas do not have time to digest all this and work in emergency mode. Therefore, more ATP molecules are spent on the synthesis of enzymes necessary for the breakdown than we receive from such food. This means our energy reserves are depleted.
By the way, you are wrong to think that protein is not deposited in adipose tissue. The law of conservation of energy has not yet been repealed. Excess calories, no matter where they come from, are utilized by the body in fat depots. At the same time, it is meat food that forms a number of toxins in the body (mainly nitrogenous wastes), which cause rotting and clogging of tissues. Hello cellulite.
The result of a protein diet can be terrible: diabetes, migraines, psoriasis, neurodermatitis, heart problems and a whole bunch of equally unpleasant consequences. Even if you lose weight, you are unlikely to look attractive with flaky red skin, shaky hands and dark circles under your eyes.
The protein diet has gained popularity due to its effectiveness: following a dietary diet can result in the loss of 4 kg of excess weight in a week. Eating protein foods helps satisfy hunger and satiate the body.
As the name suggests, the protein diet is based on consuming relatively large amounts of protein foods and almost completely avoiding carbohydrates and fats. With such nutrition, the body finds itself in “stressful” conditions, a deficiency of nutrients (in particular fats and carbohydrates) occurs, which in turn causes the consumption of carbohydrates and the breakdown of excess fat deposits.
First of all, fluid loss occurs in the body. Then glycogen (the main storage carbohydrate of animals and humans) begins to break down. A little later, the body begins to use up reserves of fat and muscle mass for its vital functions.
Most often, a protein diet refers to one of four weight loss methods: the Kremlin diet, the egg diet, the protein-vitamin diet and the Atkins diet. Different methods of protein weight loss offer their own diet. What is common is the almost complete rejection of carbohydrate foods and the consumption of foods containing the maximum amount of animal protein. Any types of meat and fish, eggs, low-fat dairy products can be consumed in unlimited quantities. Meals should be taken 4 – 6 times a day. Moreover, it is recommended to have breakfast 30 minutes after getting up, and to have dinner 3–4 hours before bedtime. A specific protein diet leads to a sharp restructuring of metabolic processes in the body.
Such an unbalanced diet makes many people think about the question of what a protein diet is: benefit or harm? What can be achieved by adhering to a protein diet: losing weight and improving the health of the body or harmful effects and disruption of vital processes?
A protein diet is suitable exclusively for healthy people. For diseases and disorders of the heart, kidneys and liver, a protein diet is contraindicated. Therefore, it is highly advisable to undergo a medical examination before making a decision to lose weight. Also, pregnant women should not follow a protein diet.
The main benefit of a protein diet is its effectiveness, rapid weight loss in a short period of time. The effectiveness of the protein diet has been experimentally confirmed by scientists at the Rowett Research Institute.
Another undoubted advantage of protein nutrition is the variety of permitted products. Sticking to a protein diet is undoubtedly easier than consuming unlimited quantities of oatmeal or cucumbers for several days in a row. The main thing is to completely avoid starchy and sweet foods and eliminate alcohol. Protein foods are digested rather slowly. That is why during a protein diet there is practically no feeling of hunger and there is no desire to snack, which is also important.
It is also significant that the results of the diet last a long time. But this does not mean that after completing the weight loss stage, food can be consumed in any quantities and combinations. It’s better to stick to a certain regime that is good for your health and figure.
A protein diet saturates the body with proteins - vital nutrients involved in almost all life processes. A lack of protein in the body can lead to serious disruptions in the functioning of organs and systems of the body.
A protein diet is very popular among athletes and bodybuilders, because an excessive amount of protein in the body helps to quickly build muscle mass. Athletes successfully combine maintaining a protein diet with strength training in gyms.
No matter what, the harm of a protein diet and its negative impact on the functioning of various body systems exists.
This fact was scientifically substantiated by Swedish and American scientists. Scientists have found that a high-protein diet increases the risk of developing serious diseases of the cardiovascular system, such as stroke and heart attack. Moreover, danger arises even with short-term adherence to such a regime. It was also noted that women are more susceptible to such negative effects than men. The study was carried out over 16 years. According to its results, the risk of heart attacks and strokes in people eating protein foods is 28% higher than in other subjects. According to scientists, a protein diet has a right to exist if their diet primarily includes proteins of plant origin (nuts, beans, etc.). The use of animal proteins leads to a significant increase in the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, which provokes diseases.
Another target of a protein diet is the human intestine. The protein diet is almost completely devoid of fiber, which can cause painful constipation and the development of dysbiosis.
Carbohydrate metabolism also suffers from diet. Ketoacidosis develops - poisoning of the body with ketones. Symptoms of ketoacidosis: unpleasant odor of acetone from the mouth, loss of appetite, increased nervous excitability.
With prolonged protein nutrition, the likelihood of developing intestinal cancer increases.
A protein diet leads to disruption of the acid-base balance in the body, massive oxidation of cells and their death. In addition, with protein nutrition, the body becomes intoxicated with protein breakdown products - oxalates and urates. This leads to excessive stress on the kidneys and liver. In other words, a protein diet poisons the body.
A protein diet is especially dangerous for girls. Nitrogen formed during the breakdown of protein can accumulate in the genital tract, as a result of which fertilization processes are disrupted.
A protein diet is an effective way to lose weight, allowing you to lose excess weight in a short time. However, the price for the acquired slimness is not commensurate with the number of kilograms lost. A protein diet has too negative an effect on the human body. So, whether to lose weight or not is everyone’s individual choice. Of the diets listed, the easiest is the Atkins method. According to experts, it is not so dangerous, because in addition to proteins, it includes additional intake of nutritional supplements, vitamins and fiber. Protein weight loss should be carried out only by healthy people under strict medical supervision.