There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding the intake of whey protein and high protein diets in general. The first one is that a high protein diet is harmful for the kidneys. This is totally not true. Although, proteins take longer time to digest than carbohydrates, they won’t have any negative effect on your kidneys as long as you’re healthy. The harmful effect of whey protein on healthy people has been greatly exaggerated. No one has presented a study proving that whey protein intake has damaging or toxic effects on individuals with healthy kidneys. Simply put, a high-protein diet based on whey, is not harmful, even for a teenager.

First of all, whey is beneficial in helping increase muscle mass, leading to increased muscular strength and performance capacity. Tests have also shown that it improves the blood-lipid profile and blood pressure. Whey protein also helps cancer patients and those who suffer osteoporosis.

In the past years, numerous studies have been performed on different athletes who follow diets extremely high on whey protein (in order to recover from the exhausting workouts) for managed periods. The results: all markers of proper kidney functioning were intact, with no signs of any damage. Repeated research in many countries in the world has helped wipe out the decades-old myth that whey protein in large doses is harmful to kidneys. In fact, quite the opposite is true.

In addition to weight training, bodybuilders need whey protein to help repair and build muscle mass. You should be eating at least a gram of protein daily for every pound of bodyweight (around 150-200 g daily). The fact that you are following a healthy bodybuilding diet should only make you feel good. Those with terrible diets, eating junk food are the ones to be concerned about.

Unlike other supplements like creatine, vitamins and minerals, taking too much whey protein possesses no health threat for your body. Overtaking vitamins can be toxic. Overtaking whey protein may eventually lead to you gaining some fat here and there, but that’s only if you don’t train enough and don’t burn enough calories per day. If you are moody, or working an 8 to 5 desk job, restricted movements and no sport, then the danger of whey protein will be related with gaining fat, because the protein that doesn’t get absorbed is being converted by the body into fat. So, what’s important is to have the right dosage. Again, taking too much of anything is harmful. That’s just the way life is!

Your body can only utilize finite amounts of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and related supplements at any given moment. Anything over those amounts will typically be eliminated. In other words, it will be flushed down the toilet. But as long as you stay on track, keep the dosages right and read the label on your whey protein, then you will surely have no problems, in fact you will only benefit.