Supplementation with protein or whey powder seems like a harmless way to improve your weight loss results and increase your muscle mass at the same time. So, let’s look at the results.
Protein powders come in a variety of forms – whey, soy and casein proteins. Whey protein is the one most commonly found at the health food and grocery stores because it’s a complete water-soluble protein. Soy proteins don’t dissolve in water as well and have a disagreeable taste but may be preferred by vegans.
In specific circumstances athletes might be interested in using protein powder supplementation to augment their training regimens. For instance, a teen will require more protein to fuel his workouts, if you are increasing your workout over a short period of time, or if you are recovering from an injury, your body will require more protein each day to repair.
However, there are also specific circumstances when you may want to use protein powder to augment your weight loss regimen as well. In a study published in Nutrition and Metabolism, researchers found that the subjects who used the protein powder and a 500 calorie reduction diet lost about the same amount of weight as those who did not use the protein powder. However, they also lost more body fat and preserved great lean muscle mass. Muscle weighs more than fat in the body. (1)
Those who use protein supplements also find that it reduces the appetite as well. This occurs for several reasons, one of which is that the body requires more time to digest the protein and you feel fuller longer. This increase in satiety also reduces your desire to snack on high carbohydrate foods in the mid afternoon and early evening hours.
Increasing protein intake will also increase thermogenesis which makes you feel fuller longer after a meal. Protein will also increase the anabolism of fat in the body while preserving lean muscle mass.
According to Harvard Health, eating 20 to 25 percent of your calories from protein, while reducing your carbohydrates and sugars, will not harm healthy kidneys. For people with early stage kidney disease the American Diabetes Association recommends limiting protein intake to about 10 percent of the daily intake. (2)
In another study published in the Diabetes Metabolism Research and Reviews, physicians found that obese individuals with metabolic syndrome who used a high protein diet with calorie restriction lost more body weight and fat mass than those who followed the calorie restriction but ate less protein per day. After 12 months, 64% of the subjects in the high protein diet no longer met 3 or more of the criteria for having metabolic syndrome. (3)
However, another study published in 2011 refuted these results and found that an increased whey protein diet did not show any statistically significant differences in weight loss or fat loss. (4)
In the end, the decision to use a protein supplement to enhance your weight loss regimen is a personal one. However, before just adding a protein shake to your current dietary intake, remember that these shakes also contain calories and you’ll have to reduce the rest of your food intake to accommodate the extra calories.
References:
(1) Nutrition and Metabolism: A whey-protein supplementation increases fat loss and spares lean muscle in obese subjects
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2289832/
(2) Harvard Health: Protein
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/protein-questions/
(3) Diabetes Metabolism Research and Reviews: Enhanced weight loss with protein-enriched meal replacements in subjects with the metabolic syndrome
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20578205
(4) Nutrition Research: Varying protein source and quantity do no significantly improve eight loss, fat loss or staiety in reduced energy diets among midlife adults
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21419314
Resources:
MayoClinic: Whey Protein
http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/whey-protein/evidence/hrb-20060532
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Protein, Weight Management and Satiety
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/87/5/1558S.full
FitDay: What’s the best type of protein for women
Mayoclinic: I’m trying to lose weight could protein shakes help
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/weight-loss/expert-answers/protein-shakes/faq-20058335
Obesity Action Coalition: Protein Supplements and Weight Loss Surgery
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