Increasing the amount of protein in your diet is certainly an important part of achieving weight loss.  How does this work, though?  How can adding more protein to your diet really help you with weight loss?  Are there any drawbacks to these types of diets?

A diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates can certainly help you with weight loss, although you should always consult your doctor first.  You will find that a diet of this type actually forces your body into what is called ketosis – the state of burning its own fat reserves.  Obviously, the more fat your body burns, the more weight loss you can achieve.  Therefore, a high protein diet can certainly be beneficial for those struggling with weight issues.

However, the situation is not as simple as you might think.  While sticking to a high protein diet will certainly result in some weight loss, you can actually damage your body if you go too far.  How might this happen?  One thing that can occur here is kidney failure.  High doses of protein will actually put a huge strain on your kidneys and can lead to kidney disease if the diet is prolonged.

Another problem with a high protein diet for weight loss is the fact that it can lead directly to high cholesterol levels, as well as kidney stones.  Osteoporosis is another side effect of eating too much protein.  Cancer is yet another problem here – you will find that your risks of developing cancer are greatly increased if your diet is exclusively protein or if you eat too much protein over a long period of time.

Therefore, while weight loss from a high protein diet is possible, there are significant drawbacks that can put your health at serious risk.