How High-Protein Diets Could Increase Risk of Heart Attack

Overeating protein starts a chain reaction that destroys the cells that break down the plaque

A high-protein diet may help you lose weight, but creates a biochemical reaction in the body that is a recipe for a heart attack. Alexander Raths/Shutterstock

High-protein diets may help some people lose weight and build muscle, but a new study in mice suggests a downside: more plaque in the arteries.

Further, the new research shows that high-protein diets spur unstable plaque—the kind most prone to rupturing and causing blocked arteries. More plaque buildup in the arteries, particularly if it’s unstable, increases the risk of a heart attack.