Warning about consuming too much animal protein

[Baltar]

I'm not sure how many people know this, and it was quite a surprise to me when I found out so I decided to post this. Basically, consuming a lot of animal protein will cause loss of calcium in your body, and can also lead to kidney stone formation. Initially I thought this applied to any kind of protein, but from what I just read in the Wikipedia they specifically cite animal protein.

In short, what happens is that animal protein gets broken down into acids, and to compensate for the acidity the body uses stored calcium (which may even be leached from your bones). This calcium then gets processed by the kidneys and can crystallize, forming kidney stones. The calcium leaching also explains why milk has repeatedly been found to cause bone loss rather than strengthening bones despite its calcium content. From what I understand, most meat eaters (if you eat meat every day, and especially at every meal) consume way too much animal protein so this affects a lot of people.

Kidney stone article is here, and osteoporosis/bone loss article is here. Relevant excerpts are below.

Protein from meat and other animal products is broken down into acids. The most available alkaline base to balance the acid from protein is calcium carbonates and phosphates from the bones (buffering). The kidney filters the liberated calcium which may then form insoluble crystals (ie, stones) in urine with available oxalate (partly from metabolic processes, partly from diet) or phosphate ions depending on conditions. One of the simplest fixes in addition to increased fluid intake is to moderate animal protein consumption. In this regard, it is not just dietary calcium per se that may cause stone formation, but rather the leaching of bone calcium.

...several nations with high calcium intakes through milk-products (e.g. the USA, Sweden) have some of the highest rates of osteoporosis worldwide. A few studies even suggested an adverse effect of calcium excess on bone density and blamed the milk industry for misleading customers. Some nutrionists assert that excess consumption of dairy products causes acification, which leeches calcium from the system, and argue that vegetables and nuts are a better source of calcium and that in fact milk products should be avoided.

[The David]

I wrote a research paper on vegetarianism (particularly veganism), and one of the issues was calcium and protein. I found alot of conflicting opinions, but my verdict was that animal proteins are at the very most unnecessary-At the very worst, damaging to health.

[thadroe]

This is why I'm always amazed how the Dairy industry is able to get away with cranking out those ads with ridiculous claims on the health benefits of milk.

Thad

[elainevdw]

Not only kidney stones, but osteoperosis. Diet for a New America has a pretty big section on the subject.

[Frans]

Here's what that Wikipedia article about Kidney stones really says:

"Certain foods may increase the risk of stones: spinach, rhubarb, chocolate, peanuts, cocoa, tomato juice, grapefruit juice, apple juice, soda (acidic and contains phosphorus), all types of tea, and berries (high levels of oxalate)."

"A high protein diet might be partially to blame."

Should we stop eating spinach or berries to avoid kidney stones?...

BTW, the article also mentions that "protein from meat and other animal products is broken down into acids."
ALL proteins (not only animal proteins) are broken down into acids.

To avoid kidney damage when eating (lots of) proteins, drink plenty of water to flush the kidneys.