Too much protein can be extremely damaging.
Bodybuilding isn’t just about working out hard and pushing the body to the limit. Well…it is, but that’s not all. Essentially the entire endeavor is a science project that you put yourself through. Consuming the right nutrients and training the muscles properly are all keys to the success of a bodybuilder. While many people are confident in the information they receive about consuming the right products in order to experience muscle growth, the truth of the matter is that there will come a time where everything is flipped on it’s head.
For years we’ve heard that if you want to build muscle that you must consume an adequate amount of protein to jump start your growth and ensure that your muscle stays strong. The unfortunate truth about that fact is that though protein is essential to making gains, consuming more than is necessary can be useless to your growth or worse yet, could prove to be a major health risk. Once again we’ve learned just how dangerous bodybuilding can be with the recent death of West Australian female bodybuilder and mother of two Meegan Hefford.
A competitor since 2014, Hefford was training for an upcoming show, consuming high amounts of protein in preparation for the event. Hefford was found unconscious in her apartment and was pronounced dead days later. Her mother noted that her protein consumption had been extreme during this prep and it appears that it was the culprit behind this young women’s untimely passing. Hefford suffered from a rare genetic disorder that she likely had no clue she had. Urea Cycle Disorder affects one in 8000 individuals and prevents a person from breaking down protein properly. The excess protein Hefford consumed didn’t breakdown and as such caused a great deal of ammonia to build up in her body, causing fluid build up around her which contributed to her losing consciousness and ultimately her life.
Hefford suffered from a rare genetic disorder that she likely had no clue she had. Urea Cycle Disorder affects one in 8000 individuals and prevents a person from breaking down protein properly. The excess protein Hefford consumed didn’t breakdown and as such caused a great deal of ammonia to build up in her body, causing fluid build up around her brain which contributed to her losing consciousness and ultimately her life.
It’s always terrible to hear about tragedies like this. But stories like these also act as a reminder that nothing can be taken for granted in bodybuilding and that doing things safely is absolutely paramount. Generation Iron expresses condolences for Meegan Hefford’s death and hope her family can make it through this ordeal.
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