Dr. Rhonda Patrick

Research consistently shows that high protein diets are safe for most people and any concerns over kidney damage are largely unfounded.

So let's talk about this myth.

Early interpretations of certain studies suggested that excessive protein intake might overwork the kidneys.

While protein restriction can slow the progression of kidney disease in some individuals,

We now know this does not imply that a healthy people should limit their protein consumption.

Higher protein diets do induce changes in kidney function, but they do not overburden the kidneys.

The observed increase in markers in kidney function is a normal adaptive response to eliminate urea and other waste products generated during protein metabolism.

This is entirely normal for individuals with healthy renal function.

So current evidence does not support an association between higher protein intake and kidney disease among healthy adults or those at risk, such as individuals with obesity, hypertension, or even diabetes.

Moreover, research in athletes has shown that consuming protein intakes as high as 3.2 to 4.5 grams per kilogram of body weight per day for up to one year does not cause any adverse changes in kidney function and is considered safe.

This intake is four to six times higher than the RDA for protein.

And emerging research even suggests that higher protein intake may actually be beneficial for people with chronic kidney disease.

Some studies have found that consuming protein at levels above the RDA is associated with reduced mortality risk in this population, challenging the traditional approach of protein restriction.

The bottom line?

we can finally put to rest the myth that high-protein diets harm healthy kidneys.

It's time to tackle another important aspect of protein intake, and that's how often and when we should consume it.

We'll tackle two key points.

First, how we consume our daily protein intake, whether we should spread it evenly across three to four meals or load it up into one or two meals.

Second and related, does protein have to be consumed within a critical anabolic window or timed with our workouts?

In short, the answer to both of these is that factors are less important overall than you might expect.