Eating too much protein? Here are four side effects to watch out for

New national dietary guidelines place a renewed emphasis on protein

New dietary guidelines issued by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and federal officials have placed a renewed emphasis on protein in Americans’ diet, both animal and plant.

But getting too much protein can be harmful to your health, although some experts are divided about just how much is too much.

The current recommendation is that people get 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound, according to the Mayo Clinic. And, most Americans already eat roughly 20 percent more protein a day than they should.

"Whenever someone says they need a gram of protein per pound of body weight, this is where people start to experience some of the common side effects of eating too much protein, like constipation, bloating and stomach pain," Knubian Gatlin, a registered dietitian at Houston Methodist, said.

"It's very rare for a person to need that much protein, even among active adults and athletes."

New dietary guidelines place a renewed emphasis on protein. But eating too much can come with consequences to your health (Getty Images)

For athletes and people who are more physically active, it may be OK to consume a little more to help repair muscle. That means 1.1-1.5 grams per kilogram, according to the Mayo Clinic.

So what issues can arise from too much protein?

Gastrointestinal issues

Unfortunately, getting too much protein can lead to some uncomfortable digestive problems.

Meat and other protein sources require the body to work harder to break them down.

That can lead to diarrhea, as well as the symptoms Gatlin listed.

Bad breath

Eating too much protein can cause “keto breath,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Also known as ketosis, this metabolic state occurs when your body starts burning fat for energy instead of glucose.

People’s breath can smell fruity or like nail polish due to acetone, which is produced in this process.

Eating too much red meat can lead to a build up of artery-clogging cholesterol (Getty Images for NYCWFF)

Heart stress

Too much protein in the diet could hurt your cardiovascular health if you’re increasingly turning to red meat and other sources with high amounts of saturated fat.

Too much saturated fat can lead to a buildup of bad cholesterol in the arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease or stroke.

Foamy urine

Eating too much protein can lead to urine with what looks like beer foam.

Having foamy or bubbly urine can be a sign of kidney damage.

“Your kidneys should filter the protein, but keep it in your body,” Dr. Cybele Ghossein, a nephrologist at Northwestern Medicine who specializes in kidney disease, explained.

“If your kidneys are releasing protein into the urine, they are not working properly.”