Hey there ive been on my own preop diet now for just over 3 weeks eating mostly just protein very little carbs..

Yesterday I started feeling a little soreness in my stomach/kidney area..

I've been reading excess protein may affect the kidneys but there's mixed information so it's hard to know what's true?

I've been having consistently at least 100g a day with shakes and tuna cans plus some veggies..

Just curious maybe it's a normal thing in ketosis? The pain was bearable just weird...

Tnx

I was wondering that myself at one point - but I think I remember reading that it's not really an issue unless you already have kidney issues. I think kidney pain is in your back - just under your rib cage.

It's important to drink lots of water to flush your body and help you release fat.

As @catwoman7 said, unless there is an underlying kidney issue, then eating a low carb diet is nothing to be concerned with.

100g of protein is at the higher end for men, but it isn't "super high". It's a little more than adequate. And that should be the goal of anyone eating low carb. You should only try for adequate protein to the point that you satisfy daily protein needs and also promote satiety, but overeating protein is worse in that up to 50% of excess protein gets converted to sugar by the liver via gluconeogenesis. And this drives up blood sugar which spikes insulin which signals fat storage. So overeating anything--including protein can be counterproductive. Especially if you are a T2 or are hyperinsulinemic.

It's best to calculate your actual protein needs and try not to exceed them. Then fill the rest of your diet with leafy greens and very low glycemic veg and healthy fats.

Look up Dr. Jason Fung and also Dr. Eric Westman, also Virta Health (run by Drs. Stephen Phinney and Jeff ?? last name escapes me this morning).

9 hours ago, Mikeyy said:

Hey there ive been on my own preop diet now for just over 3 weeks eating mostly just Protein very little carbs..

Yesterday I started feeling a little soreness in my stomach/kidney area..

I've been reading excess protein may affect the kidneys but there's mixed information so it's hard to know what's true?

I've been having consistently at least 100g a day with shakes and tuna cans plus some veggies..

Just curious maybe it's a normal thing in ketosis? The pain was bearable just weird...

Tnx

We are well within safe ranges on a bariatric diet (exception may be if you already kidney issues) Consult your medical professionals on safe levels to consume.

Most dietitians’ plans are 60 to 100grams of protein.. Our diet instructions give the mantra “protein first” in the first stages. It’s because your stomach has limited room. As your diet progresses you will easily hit your protein goal along with other foods to meet your nutritional needs.

articles below give examples of safe ranges of protein.

• 80kg/ 176-pound person – 176 grams protein.
• 140lb person – 125 grams per day.
• Athletes – Higher protein intake

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16779921

https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/when-it-comes-to-protein-how-much-is-too-much

So, when it comes to protein, how much is too much?

It's hard to provide a specific answer since so much is still uncertain and the experts themselves don't agree. However, for the average person (who is not an elite athlete or heavily involved in body building) it's probably best to avoid more than 2 gm/kg; that would be about 125 grams/day for a 140 pound person. New information could change our thinking about the maximum safe amount, but until we know more about the safety, risks and benefits of high protein diets, this seems like a reasonable recommendation.

Abstract

Considerable debate has taken place over the safety and validity of increased protein intakes for both weight control and muscle synthesis. The advice to consume diets high in protein by some health professionals, media and popular diet books is given despite a lack of scientific data on the safety of increasing protein consumption. The key issues are the rate at which the gastrointestinal tract can absorb amino acids from dietary proteins (1.3 to 10 g/h) and the liver's capacity to deaminate proteins and produce urea for excretion of excess nitrogen. The accepted level of protein requirement of 0.8g x kg(-1) x d(-1) is based on structural requirements and ignores the use of protein for energy metabolism. High protein diets on the other hand advocate excessive levels of protein intake on the order of 200 to 400 g/d, which can equate to levels of approximately 5 g x kg(-1) x d(-1), which may exceed the liver's capacity to convert excess nitrogen to urea. Dangers of excessive protein, defined as when protein constitutes > 35% of total energy intake, include hyperaminoacidemia, hyperammonemia, hyperinsulinemia nausea, diarrhea, and even death (the "rabbit starvation syndrome"). The three different measures of defining protein intake, which should be viewed together are: absolute intake (g/d), intake related to body weight (g x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and intake as a fraction of total energy (percent energy). A suggested maximum protein intake based on bodily needs, weight control evidence, and avoiding protein toxicity would be approximately of 25% of energy requirements at approximately 2 to 2.5 g x kg(-1) x d(-1), corresponding to 176 g protein per day for an 80 kg individual on a 12,000kJ/d diet. This is well below the theoretical maximum safe intake range for an 80 kg person (285 to 365 g/d).

Dietary protein for athletes: from requirements to optimum adaptation.

Phillips SM¹, Van Loon LJ.

Author information

1

Department of Kinesiology, Exercise Metabolism Research Group, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. phillis@mcmaster.ca

Abstract

Opinion on the role of protein in promoting athletic performance is divided along the lines of how much aerobic-based versus resistance-based activity the athlete undertakes. Athletes seeking to gain muscle mass and strength are likely to consume higher amounts of dietary protein than their endurance-trained counterparts. The main belief behind the large quantities of dietary protein consumption in resistance-trained athletes is that it is needed to generate more muscle protein. Athletes may require protein for more than just alleviation of the risk for deficiency, inherent in the dietary guidelines, but also to aid in an elevated level of functioning and possibly adaptation to the exercise stimulus. It does appear, however, that there is a good rationale for recommending to athletes protein intakes that are higher than the RDA. Our consensus opinion is that leucine, and possibly the other branched-chain amino acids, occupy a position of prominence in stimulating muscle protein synthesis; that protein intakes in the range of 1.3-1.8 g · kg(-1) · day(-1) consumed as 3-4 isonitrogenous meals will maximize muscle protein synthesis. These recommendations may also be dependent on training status: experienced athletes would require less, while more protein should be consumed during periods of high frequency/intensity training. Elevated protein consumption, as high as 1.8-2.0 g · kg(-1) · day(-1) depending on the caloric deficit, may be advantageous in preventing lean mass losses during periods of energy restriction to promote fat loss

Yeah Kidney pain is usually back - located but it can also radiate down into your groin on one or both sides. Yeah do check out with PCP and possibly an urologist or nephrologist, don't want your kidneys over- stressed. But also We Do Require more protein for healing and such a THE AVERAGE ? BEAR, to quote Old Yogi?- gosh I. did ? those cartoons back when i was much Younger!

@Mikeyy 100g a day is fine for a man. Some kidney pain can be normal in the early days of a keto diet as they are working a bit harder than usual.

I start my male clients on 80-120g a day and 20g carbs. (I trained under Professor Tim Noakes and am certified to coach people in keto- fit in with my specialist interest in training as a specialist nurse in diabetes you see & certified in dietary advice! Yep having all that knowledge isn't always enough, hence me being here post-surgery!). You really do need a good amount of water to help flush stuff out as Fluffy already said.

If it continues for 2 weeks or gets significantly worse or you feel unwell go and see your Gp.

Healthy kidneys can handle it fine, people with a history of kidney issues have to have much less, but a week on that amount wouldn't cause an issue.

However, what can cause an issue is bariatric surgery and that can cause kidney stones to suddenly appear seemingly out of the blue, hence my comment about seeing your Gp if you get severe pain.

Edited September 19, 20196 yr by Bastian