Can protein be stored as fat?

I received a few emails asking if protein could be converted to fat and stored in fat cells.

Protein can be converted to fat although this is very rarely done in the body. Excess protein is often used up as energy. However, I believe excess protein can cause gains in fat, although through an indirect manner. Let me explain.

Protein contains 4 calories per gram, in other words it contains energy and according to the first law in physics “energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be converted to another form”. This statement is fact and explains why it is energy in/ out ( energy balance ) that determines our weight.

If a person was to eat almost all his food as protein AND still ate more energy than his body required then some of the energy from the protein must be converted to fat. Yes most of the energy would be converted to sugar in the liver but if glycogen stores became full excess carbs (from protein energy) would be converted to fat for storage!

Learn more about combining protein sources from foods