# Kidney failure from protein shakes?



## PWGriffin (Jan 23, 2006)

A friend of mine's dad went to the doctor and the doc told him if he didn't stop drinking protein shakes, his kidneys were going to fail...this alarmed my friend cuz she knows I drink a couple a day and have for the longest and her dad's been doing it for like a month....

Thought's/Input??


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## Gordo (Jan 23, 2006)

Pre-existing kidney condition?

Or was this speculation out of the blue from the doc?

Without some serious tests/screening....how could a doc come to that conclusion? Answer, he can't.


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## KentDog (Jan 23, 2006)

I have heard that too much protein can be hard on the kidneys.


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## maxpro2 (Jan 23, 2006)

A lot of doctors don't really know what they are talking about sometimes, and many are subject to the same bodybuilding/exercise/nutrition myths that the general public is also subject to. I can't see him saying this out of the blue unless the guy has problems with his kidneys. If the guy has a kidney disease, a high protein diet would definitely overburden his kidneys.


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## michael74737 (Jan 23, 2006)

I have heard a lot of things about protein supplements. I tend not to believe a lot of them.

-Ive heard that it causes cancer
-May damage liver
-can create hormonal inbalance.

...and now this.


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## BigDyl (Jan 23, 2006)

Everything causes cancer...


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## Skate67 (Jan 23, 2006)

I've heard of this before too, myth or not.  I stick to only one whey shake per day. Rarely will i ever have two unless i fall behind on a meal or something.


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## TrojanMan60563 (Jan 23, 2006)

I think its BS. How is eating a meal going to fuck up your kidneys? The body is going to use what it needs and get rid of the rest. That is not an abnormal function of the body. It does that with everything you ingest, not just a shake. I would think if anything the shake would be easier for your body to handle then eating real food.


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## overboard (Jan 24, 2006)

TrojanMan60563 said:
			
		

> I think its BS. How is eating a meal going to fuck up your kidneys? The body is going to use what it needs and get rid of the rest. That is not an abnormal function of the body. It does that with everything you ingest, not just a shake. I would think if anything the shake would be easier for your body to handle then eating real food.



I agree. This does not make any sense at all. What is the difference in drinking a protein shake and eating a two piece chicken dinner. the amount of protein would be more in the chicken. No body ever says, you better be careful with that chicken....you know it will mess your kidneys up. 

I think as long as you eat a balanced diet full of fiber ( oatmeal ) and water, you will be just fine. I know some people that have had kidney stones due to protein, but it was because they were not active and the problem arised from a wacky protein diet where all you eat is meat and nothing else to supposedly lose weight.


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## NeilPearson (Jan 24, 2006)

I think it is hilarious that body builders say not to eat anything that is processed... and then drink 3 protein shakes a day

Too much of anything can cause problems and if you are eating the same thing every day... or multiple times a day (like a protein shake), it can't be good for you in the long run.

Variety is important in a diet.  Eat different things and don't overdo protein.  If you are eating more than 0.8 grams of protein (from all sources) per pound of body weight, you are getting more protein than your body needs for maximum muscle growth.  This amount isn't hard to get by just having meat in your diet.  I don't see a need for protein shakes at all...

Just my opinion.  I know it goes against what most body builders will tell you.  (but not against what doctors and sports nutritionists would tell you).  Personally I'd rather believe someone that has ran studies and experiments on the topic than people that pass down weight lifting "knowledge" and really don't have any scientific evidence to support their claims.


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## overboard (Jan 24, 2006)

_"Personally I'd rather believe someone that has ran studies and experiments on the topic than people that pass down weight lifting "knowledge" and really don't have any scientific evidence to support their claims"_

abcbodybuilding.com


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## TrojanMan60563 (Jan 24, 2006)

NeilPearson - The needs of a BBer is much different then the average lifter. These pros eat like 9K calories to get that big....I'm sure no nutritionist would say to do that....so the info passed down from previous BBers obviously is something needed.


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## soxmuscle (Jan 24, 2006)

im with trojan on this one.  how else are you supposed to bulk, a very common thing for all types of people, not just athletes, if you shouldnt consume protein shakes...


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## Jodi (Jan 24, 2006)

overboard said:
			
		

> _"Personally I'd rather believe someone that has ran studies and experiments on the topic than people that pass down weight lifting "knowledge" and really don't have any scientific evidence to support their claims"_
> 
> abcbodybuilding.com


 what a joke that place is


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## Big Smoothy (Jan 24, 2006)

I used to drink protein Whey, a lot with other food sources of protein. 

Most people in 'lifestyle' BB are probably spending too much and taking too much.

$$$ and marginal effects.  

(I know that many will disagree.)


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## GFR (Jan 24, 2006)

PWGriffin said:
			
		

> A friend of mine's dad went to the doctor and the doc told him if he didn't stop drinking protein shakes, his kidneys were going to fail...this alarmed my friend cuz she knows I drink a couple a day and have for the longest and her dad's been doing it for like a month....
> 
> Thought's/Input??


 Shake a dead chicken at this Doctor and doom his entire line to eternal torment.


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## boilermaker (Jan 24, 2006)

Let's be honest here.  The percentage of actual "bodybuilders" in the world is extremely small.  This site has a much higher percentage of folks who want to cut fat and build some muscle mass than it does of competition bodybuilders.  I'd guess it is a 99:1 ratio.  So the logical answer is that if you eat a balanced diet of whole foods that includes carbs, protein and healthy fats, whether you supplement it with a protein shake or two a day wont't make any difference.  The protein in a shake is derived from natural sources, so I doubt if it will have any concequences on your health.  If it does, we are a much too small focus group to ever be studied.  Those research dollars go towards studying the 95% of people eating fast and processed food 2 to 4 times a day.


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## overboard (Jan 25, 2006)

Jodi said:
			
		

> what a joke that place is



Why? 
Not trying to start an argument, I would just like to know, in your opinion, why you think the site is a joke. Inquiring minds want to know.


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## Jodi (Jan 25, 2006)

Bunch of power tripping religious freaks.  If you don't agree with them and their ways and their beliefs they ban you.


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## bigss75 (Jan 25, 2006)

Large amounts of protein have no effect on kidneys unless there is a pre existing condition. I have scientific sources Ill post


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## bigss75 (Jan 25, 2006)

Glomerular Filitration Rates are raised in all acute(up to a month) and long term studies of high protein diets however there was no changes in urinary albumin from the begining and end.
GFR increased but so did kidney volume(measured via the MRI), GFR expressed per kidney volume didnt change.

Basically It doesnt harm the kidneys in simple terms

Skov AR et al. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord
1999: 23:1170-77.


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## soxmuscle (Jan 25, 2006)

since this thread came about, i've actually used more protein powder than before.  thanks!


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## NeilPearson (Jan 26, 2006)

TrojanMan60563 said:
			
		

> NeilPearson - The needs of a BBer is much different then the average lifter. These pros eat like 9K calories to get that big....I'm sure no nutritionist would say to do that....so the info passed down from previous BBers obviously is something needed.



Well if you are talking about pro BBers that eat 9K calories a day then this thread is kind of pointless anyway.  This thread is about how healthy excessive protien from shakes is... guess what BBer's aren't health nuts.  A lot of the things they do to their bodies aren't exactly healthy.  I wouldn't ask any of them their opinion on a health related issue.

And you'd be surprised what some nutritionists would recommend.  I just read a book where the author put a football player on a 5700 calorie diet for a cut.  Many of the other case studies included body builders and most of them were in the the 5000-6000 calorie range.  (although 9k still seems like a lot)  Anyway, I think that many of these sports nutritionists are getting in tune with the demands of atheletes and their recommendations aren't just aimed at the average person anymore.


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## TrojanMan60563 (Jan 28, 2006)

NeilPearson - I realize 9K calories a day is not the average athletes diet. Pro BBers do everything to the extreme and most lead lifestyles that are not healthy as it would appear.

The topic is eating too much protein and causing kidney failure. I can see that too much of anything is bad for someone. I couldn't tell someone that sat at home on their asses to start eating shakes between meals because their bodies are not going to use it and its going to be processed and pissed out etc.. But for an athlete or even someone that works out regularly the added protein is welcome to their diet, and IMO will not cause a problem since the body is using it for something...its not just added to the body as something un-needed or no use for. Doctors recomend things based on the average person....and average person in this country sits on the couch all day with little to no activity.


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## MeLo (Jan 28, 2006)

Trojan hit it on the head.


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