Excess protein in the diet can lead to storage as what in the body?

Excess protein in the diet is primarily converted into fat for storage in the body. When protein is consumed in amounts exceeding the body's needs for maintenance, repair, and energy, the surplus cannot be directly stored as protein. Instead, the body undergoes a process called deamination, where the amino groups are removed from amino acids. The remaining carbon skeletons can then be converted into glucose or fat.

If the overall energy intake, including excess protein, exceeds energy expenditure, these carbon skeletons can ultimately be synthesized into fatty acids and stored in adipose tissue as triglycerides. This process highlights how the body manages and stores excess macronutrients, diverting them into fat storage when in surplus.

Other options, such as muscle, glycogen, or water, do not account for this metabolic pathway. Muscle tissue requires specific stimuli, like resistance training, for growth and cannot simply store excess protein as muscle. Glycogen storage is primarily related to carbohydrates, where glucose is stored for energy, and while the body can transform excess protein into glucose, it does not lead to direct glycogen storage when protein is abundant. Water is not a storage medium for protein but rather an essential component for metabolic processes and hydrating tissues.