Keto Means
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How much protein is too much on keto?

Eating too much protein on Keto is largely a myth - gluconeogenesis leads to a small increase in glucose production, but we need that to survive. If you are generally active and not in a calorie deficit, you may want to shoot for 1.6 g/kg body weight per day, and prioritize protein on Keto with healthy sources.

carbmanager.com - How Much Protein Should You Eat on Keto? (And What About ...
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How much protein you should eat on Keto for optimum results is widely contested... Some believe that too much protein may be detrimental and could throw you out of ketosis. Others argue that too little can hamper recovery, decrease lean muscle mass, and make it harder to lose weight. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into all things protein and Keto to help clear up any confusion.

Why is Protein Important?

Protein is an essential macronutrient, needed for a whole host of important bodily processes. These include: People who don't get enough protein may run into various issues that are less than ideal: [*][*][*]

Thyroid issues

Decreased muscle mass

Hormonal imbalances

Fatty liver

Increased cortisol

Struggles with weight

Can I Eat Too Much Protein on a Keto Diet?

A widespread fear surrounding Keto is that consuming too much protein may lead to the upregulation of a process called gluconeogenesis (GNG) and throw you out of ketosis, undoing all your hard work. The truth is, GNG is essential for our overall health, and actually allows us to remain in ketosis. GNG may sound complicated, but it’s simply the metabolic process whereby your liver and kidneys make glucose from non-carb sources such as amino acids (the building blocks of protein). It’s completely natural and happens in Ketosis regardless of your protein intake. In fact, studies suggest that extra protein availability does not lead to an increase in GNG production [*]. Although we restrict dietary carbohydrate and glucose intake on a Keto diet, the truth is that the body still requires small amounts of glucose to support important bodily processes, including:

Fueling tissues that can’t run on ketones [*,*]

Preventing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) [*]

Converting lactate to replenish glycogen stores in active individuals [*]

GNG allows the above to continue on while the rest of your body is fueled up on clean-burning Ketones. Bottom line: Your body needs some glucose to survive, but it doesn’t need to come from a high carbohydrate diet. Instead, maintaining adequate protein intake on Keto will give your body just enough glucose to fuel your body while still benefiting from running off ketones (fats) for everything else.

How Much Protein Should I Eat On a Ketogenic Diet?

As we touched on earlier, the side effects of consuming too little protein can be serious, so it’s important to ensure you're getting enough. The macros of a typical Keto diet can be broken down as follows:

Protein: 20-25%

20-25% Fat: 65-80%

65-80% Carbs: 3-10%

To get your personalized numbers, we recommend calculating your protein as a first priority. From there, keep carbs at a minimum and fill the rest with healthy fat sources. If you don't feel like doing a bunch of math, there’s good news: In the Carb Manager app, we have a handy calculator that determines your personal macro breakdown and how many grams of each to consume per day for your goals. Just plug in your metrics and activity levels, and we do the rest!

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