CLAIM: Consuming a high-protein diet causes elevated ammonia levels in the brain, leading to memory loss, seizures, and poor sleep

FACT: Misleading. The protein study cited in the video is based on a computer simulation involving liver cirrhosis patients, not healthy individuals, and offers no such conclusions for the general population

First came across a video from the YouTuber Ryan Fernando, a celebrity nutritionist, where he talks about the negative effects of consuming too much protein. 

“Eating too much protein can slow down your brain? This is proven in studies .. the studies found that by increasing one’s protein intake to 72%, the blood ammonia levels increase by 59%,” Fernando says. “When the ammonia protein breaks down, it gets accumulated in the brain which can lead to memory loss or seizures. This may also impact your sleep.” 

What’s the fact?

The study cited by Fernando offers no such conclusion. The research is classified as “in silico,” meaning it has not been conducted on any living organism or living tissue.  Instead it is a computer simulation on a software. 

“A simple mathematical model was created using MATLAB SimBiology and data from published studies,” the research states.  

Second, the study is related to people with liver disease. 

“Surprisingly, we could not find many studies in the literature examining dietary-induced changes in blood ammonia levels in healthy humans,” reads the conclusion, “A low protein diet is beneficial for liver cirrhosis patients who have a normal energy balance.” 

The takeaway is that protein is not necessarily harmful for healthy people. 

So the conclusions Fernando makes from the study are cherry picked, and the entire context of the research has not been mentioned. 

Also read: FACT CHECK: Is John Abraham right about veg protein superiority? – First Check