010-111 · Question #145
Which of the following is a potential danger of long-term consumption of a high-protein diet?
The correct answer is B. Calcium is drawn from the bones & excreted in the urine. Long-term high-protein diets can trigger hypercalciuria, where the body draws calcium from bones to buffer the increased acid load and excretes it through urine.
Question
Which of the following is a potential danger of long-term consumption of a high-protein diet?
Options
- AZinc becomes less absorbable
- BCalcium is drawn from the bones & excreted in the urine
- CIron levels drop causing anemia
- DSodium is lost in the sweat causing hyponatremia
How the community answered
(23 responses)- A4% (1)
- B78% (18)
- C13% (3)
- D4% (1)
Why each option
Long-term high-protein diets can trigger hypercalciuria, where the body draws calcium from bones to buffer the increased acid load and excretes it through urine.
Zinc bioavailability is not specifically reduced by high protein intake; animal-based proteins that dominate high-protein diets actually enhance zinc absorption compared to plant sources.
High dietary protein raises the body's net acid load, which is buffered in part by calcium mobilized from bone mineral stores. This released calcium is then filtered by the kidneys and lost in the urine - a process called hypercalciuria - which can progressively reduce bone density when sustained over time.
High-protein diets do not directly deplete iron; animal protein sources are rich in highly bioavailable heme iron, which tends to support rather than diminish iron status.
Hyponatremia from sweat-related sodium loss is a risk associated with prolonged endurance exercise and excessive hypotonic fluid intake, not with dietary protein intake.
Concept tested: High-protein diet effect on bone calcium and urinary excretion
Source: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/
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