PHOENIX — The diet trend #highprotein that is gaining momentum on social media has some real health benefits but, doctors caution when followed blindly and misinterpreted it can cause real damage.
The topic #highprotein has upwards of 2,000 videos with over 40 million views any given week on TikTok but ABC15 Health Insider Dr. Shad Marvasti says it's a megaphone for a myth.
"It's kind of a myth that we need more protein. In fact, too much protein in our diet has been linked to kidney failure and bone fractures specifically for women," said Dr. Marvasti, who adds animal protein specifically has been linked to a number of cancers. "Those processed meats or red meats, that's also been connected with colon cancer. "
There are some people who can benefit from an extreme diet, for example, he says the ketogenic diet can be a game changer for people with epilepsy if followed correctly.
"Most people do it wrong, it's actually supposed to be 70% fat, 20% protein, and 10% carbohydrate. With epilepsy or seizure disorders, if you do that (Keto) diet you're actually going to decrease the incidence of seizures by 50% or 60%, which is as good if not better than most of the drugs that we have for epilepsy and seizure disorders without the side effects," said Dr. Marvasti.
Protein can also help manage weight and blood pressure but the source of your protein matters.
"Plant-based proteins like beans, nuts, and seeds and foods. I think these are underconsumed foods in our diet. The beans have the added benefit of also having fiber." Dr. Marvast adds, "You're going to get a lot more carbs but because of the fiber that actually cancels out the negative impact of a carbohydrate when you get a complex carb, so you see health benefits with that diet as well."
Dr. Marvasti cautions against using protein powders as well that can be packed with chemicals and additives.
He points out that if you do eat meat or seafood try to stick with grass-fed, free-range, antibiotic-free meats.