You can take protein supplements - in the form of bars, pre-mixed shakes or powders - to support your efforts to increase muscle mass. According to the International Sports Nutrition Institute, if you exercise ambitiously, you need 0.63 to 0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day, while an average person needs 0.36 grams of protein per pound. Your body can't store protein, so you can use any extra energy or convert it to fat. Excess protein may appear as acid in the urine - not protein.
Protein bars and fruits including pomegranate can be seen on the tray. (Source: tashka2000 / iStock / Getty Images) Protein Supplement
Ordinary Americans get large amounts of protein through regular diets. However, if you are a trained athlete who recovers from illness or cannot get protein from regular foods, you can take a protein supplement. Protein supplements include milk derivatives whey protein or casein, soy, egg whites, hemp, peas and rice flour.
Protein Demand
The Institute of Medicine believes that protein intake is safely between 10 and 35 percent of daily calorie intake. As you consume more, you may introduce other essential nutrients such as fats and carbohydrates. In addition, you may make your kidneys fatigued. A study in the January 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed that your body can only use about 30 grams of protein in a meal to stimulate muscle synthesis.
Extra Protein
] If you don't have enough calories to maintain your daily burn, extra protein will be used as energy. If you take too much calories, your body will turn protein into fat. Excess protein can also cause you to drain more fluid and calcium through your urine. You may produce more urine and more acidic urine, but the protein in the urine will not be more.
Urine protein
Excessive protein in the urine may indicate severe disease, including renal failure. Your kidneys usually retain protein because they are macromolecules, but likeIf your kidneys are infected, the protein may pass. Eating more protein can make the kidneys work harder to filter out the kidneys. If you increase the intake of protein supplements and increase the amount of exercise, it may be exercise - not protein supplements - leading to excess protein in the urine. Discuss with your doctor other possible temporary benign causes of increased protein in the urine, including emotional stress, recent fever or exposure to extreme temperatures.
