Too Much Protein?

1 min

I wouldn’t worry about his eating two to three eggs per day, but I would be concerned about his total protein intake. Egg whites are a great source of protein, and the yolks contain an astonishing array of essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, D, E and K, plus iron.

As little as two ounces of a protein-rich food a day may be enough to prevent protein deficiency in most adults; four ounces will certainly do it. That means a four-ounce serving of meat or fish or chicken or cheese or tofu.

If you eat more protein than your body needs for growth, repair and maintenance of tissue, it is burned as a fuel, just as carbohydrates and fats are. However, protein is not nearly as efficient a fuel as carbs or fats – the body has to work harder to dismantle its molecules and release their energy. The ratio of energy gained to energy expended is not as favorable. High-protein diets impose a considerable workload on the digestive system and may contribute to feelings of fatigue and lack of energy. Another problem with protein as a fuel is that it does not burn clean. Because of its nitrogen content, protein leaves “ashes” when it burns; these nitrogen wastes must be eliminated from the system, taxing the liver and kidneys.

I recommend strength training as part of an overall fitness program, but I am not in favor of high muscle-mass bodybuilding because of the popular emphasis on consumption of high-protein foods and protein supplements and, in some cases, the use of potentially dangerous drugs (including anabolic steroids). To my mind these practices are not part of preventive health maintenance. The bodybuilders I have known are not as a group any healthier than other people, and some of them are less healthy because of the ways they think about and treat their bodies.

Andrew Weil, M.D.

Originally published September 2011. Updated December 2025.