Every so often, I see a health/nutrition/exercise post that I have to comment on. This time it’s yet another “protein” piece—because protein is having a big moment online. Alongside the “protein is hot” trend, there’s now a growing counter-narrative in mainstream media: you can eat too much protein, and we’re “obsessed” or “hyper-focused” on it. I don’t really understand why this angle keeps coming back, but it clearly generates clicks, so outlets keep publishing it.
The article I’m reacting to: Can You Eat Too Much Protein? 5 Ways to Tell”
The author points to protein being added to everything now: high-protein pasta, protein lattes, protein popcorn, etc. Then it claims the “latest dietary guidelines” dramatically increased protein targets to ~1.2–1.6 g/kg/day (and gives an example of ~80–110 g/day for a 150-lb person).
The article quotes an expert saying the “vast majority” already get enough. I’m skeptical of that blanket statement.
The “5 warning signs” — and my responses
1) Dehydration
Article claim: extra protein makes kidneys “work overtime,” nitrogen must be excreted, urination increases, and this can lead to dehydration.
My take:
Yes, protein metabolism produces nitrogenous waste, but the “kidneys working overtime” language is dramatic.
Even if urination increases somewhat, the solution is straightforward: drink more.
People are not walking around chronically dehydrated because they eat “too much protein.”
The symptom list is comically obvious (thirsty, tired, dizzy… groundbreaking).
2) Foamy/bubbly urine (proteinuria)
Article claim: foamy urine can signal proteinuria; “some studies” suggest a link between high protein intake and proteinuria.
My take:
The “link” is presented like a shocking revelation: eat more protein → excrete more protein. Of course that can happen.
The article uses medical jargon in a way that feels designed to alarm people.
It also claims frequent urination can be another symptom of proteinuria and “too much protein.”
My reaction: the logic gets messy—are you dehydrated or peeing all the time? Pick a lane.
3) Kidney stones
Article claim: excess protein (especially animal protein) is something to watch for, and it suggests mechanisms related to urine acidity/oxalates.
My take:
Notice how they always target animal protein—as if plant protein is immune from “overdoing it.”
I’m not anti-plant-based at all; I eat plenty of plant foods. But this “animal protein is bad” bias shows up constantly.
4) Irregular bowel movements/constipation
Article claim: too much protein can cause constipation because people reduce fiber when they increase protein.
My take:
I’m not an expert here, but I don’t buy the simplistic “you must eat fiber to poop” narrative.
There are people eating animal-based/carnivore diets who still have bowel movements.
There’s also evidence suggesting that for some people, reducing fiber can improve bowel regularity.
The article assumes that everyone increasing protein is automatically cutting out other nutrients and eating an unbalanced diet, which is a weak assumption.
5) Weight gain
Article claim: there’s a lack of evidence that high-protein diets cause weight loss; some people gain weight.
My take:
That “lack of evidence” statement is false—there’s plenty of evidence that higher-protein diets can support fat loss and improve body composition compared to lower-protein diets.
The article then backtracks into the obvious: if you eat more total calories (even from protein), you gain weight.
Important nuance the article misses: if extra calories come from protein, it often has less impact on weight gain than extra calories from fat/carbs due to the thermic effect of food (protein costs more energy to digest).
The article’s “how to eat a balanced amount of protein” section
It claims most people eat more protein than they need, then cites examples like:
~17 g protein in a small cod serving
~26 g protein in a small chicken breast portion
My reaction:
Those portions are small, and the protein amounts are not necessarily enough for a full meal.
For many people, a more useful target is ~25–30 g minimum per meal (often more depending on body size, training, and goals).
Mediterranean diet commentary
The article recommends a Mediterranean-style pattern and suggests ~15% of calories from protein.
My reaction:
I don’t disagree that Mediterranean-style patterns can be healthy.
But “the Mediterranean diet” is treated like one fixed thing—it’s really a broad pattern, and that term has started to annoy me.
It’s basically describing a plant-forward pattern with fish/poultry and other whole foods.
“Some people may need more protein” (surgery, elite athletes, aging)
The article says certain groups may benefit from higher protein, otherwise talk to a professional before increasing protein.
My reaction:
Sure, talk to a professional if you have a medical condition.
But the broader cultural push to warn people away from protein is bizarre—most people are not “overdoing it.”
The article’s takeaways (and my overall verdict)
The article concludes that too much protein can stress the kidneys and cause symptoms like frequent urination/constipation and possibly kidney stones, and advises reducing portions and adding fruits/vegetables/whole grains.
My final take:
Not the worst thing I’ve ever read, but it’s still loaded with fear-mongering and outdated framing.
The biggest issue: no citations—just quotes from people who sound years behind the current state of nutrition research.
We should be encouraging adequate protein intake, not trying to scare people into eating less.
