What are the benefits of high-protein diets? Are there risks? Are the risks exaggerations by alarmists, or could you really eat too much protein?

Fat and carbohydrates have shared the nutrition spotlight for decades, while protein is rarely discussed. That’s too bad, because it’s this macronutrient that has the potential to transform your body the most.

Article ShortcutsScience, Observation, and ExperienceWhat Is a High-Protein Diet?Percentage-Based Protein IntakeWeight-Based Protein IntakeOur Definition of "High Protein"9 Benefits of a High-Protein Diet1. Weight Loss2. Satiety3. Muscle Growth and Maintenance4. Thermogenesis5. Bone Health6. Blood Sugar Management7. Stress Resilience8. Immune System Support9. DetoxificationHigh-Quality, Great Tasting Protein SourcesFrequently Asked QuestionsI heard high-protein diets can cause kidney damage. Is that true?Is there a minimum or maximum amount of protein I should eat in a meal?Is there a maximum amount of protein you can use or assimilate in a meal?Do you need more protein or less protein as you age?Can you eat too much protein?What kind of protein is best?Do I need to time my protein with exercise?What if I don't have access to grass-fed, wild-caught, organic protein sources?If I'm vegetarian or vegan, how can I get more protein?What if I have an allergy or sensitivity?What if I don't like to eat protein?Time to Eat!

After almost two decades in health and fitness, I've determined there are just three things you can do that, if you do them consistently, dramatically improve how you look, feel, and perform more than anything else.

It's these three things that I focus my attention on the most when coaching clients:

Eat a high-protein diet.Weight train at least four days per week.Sleep at least seven hours every night.

Today, we’ll tackle the why and how of a high-protein diet.

Science, Observation, and Experience

Whenever I make a health and fitness recommendation, I do so based on what I’ve read, observed, and experienced.

Too many people play the “telephone game,” repeating what they think they heard someone else say. Often, that person heard something from someone else, too.

As the recommendations get passed from one person to the next, they get twisted, distorted, or exaggerated. As a result, there’s an enormous amount of confusion about — and over complication of — good nutrition.

I've read, researched, studied, and experimented with protein for years. As a certified sport nutritionist and certified strength and conditioning coach for more than two decades, I have a lot of experience with and knowledge about this.

More recently, researchers have started to ask the questions, “What would happen if people were just told to eat more protein? Is it possible that, if people ate more protein, they’d naturally eat less fat and carbohydrates?"

If so, a “healthy diet” wouldn’t be so much about eating less fat or carbohydrates, but more protein. Psychologically and physiologically, that's a big difference.

By the way, I'm not suggesting carbs or fat don't matter. They do. But, I've found it's a lot easier to get people to eat healthier amounts of them by eating more protein, versus telling them to eat less of either one.

As you'll see, there are a plethora of health benefits to protein, and little to no risks (contrary to what some bloggers and the media are selling today).

What Is a High-Protein Diet?

What is a "high-protein" diet anyway? The definition depends on who you talk to.