A common question I get is, "What happens if eat too much protein?"

I know this is going to strir up controversy and that's fine. This is after all, my opinion and based on my education and research as not only a physician but also a triathlete and endurance athlete.  So here we go.

Excess protein has been linked to cancer in several large studies.  Animal protein has a unique role in turning cancer cells on and off.

We know that following negative points about the negative effects of animal protein:

• Increases cholesterol (even more than cholesterol eaten in other foods)
• Promotes heart disease
• Increases the risk for osteoporosis
• Plays a role in the initiation of type I diabetes
• Stimulates growth hormone production
• Speeds the rate of cellular division
• Associated with Alzheimer disease

A few points for emphasis/argument:

• Isn't growth hormone stimulation good? - Not exactly.  By stimulating cells to grow, cancer cells are also receiving the same signal to multiple and divide.  These cancerous (or pre-cancerous cells) have a higher rate of division than normal cells and the extra stimulation from growth hormone is bad
• Osteoporosis - thin bones - really??   Animal products are acidic by nature and the body must handle this to balance its pH.  The most readily available substance is calcium.  Where does the body steal it from?  The bones!  This plays a role in the development of thin bones and increases the risk for fractures.
• Speeds cellular division - see above.  The cells within our body are preprogrammed to divide and repair themselves at a certain rate.  Speeding this up creates problems and also encourages cancer cells to take hold and set up foci of badness.

I'm not expecting all of you to agree and honestly, I like an occasional steak or hamburger.  But...if you look inside my freezer you won't find any of these products.