Obesity is a chronic disease affecting more than a third of US adults. Most weight loss programs and diets recommend a high protein intake. But why do we really need a high protein diet and how much protein do we need?
What are the benefits of a high protein diet?
A high-protein diet can help with weight loss in several ways, including:
1. Reduced appetite
Proteins generally take a longer time to be processed by the body compared to other macronutrients; and this can make you feel full for longer, which can lead to eating fewer calories overall. A higher protein intake increases the levels of the satiety (appetite-reducing) hormones GLP-1, peptide YY, and cholecystokinin while reducing your levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin. One study found that when overweight men made up 25% of their daily calories from protein, their cravings decreased by 60%.
2. Boosted metabolism
Protein can help your metabolism to be more efficient and your body to burn more calories, which can lead to weight loss. Your metabolism is regulated by biologic catalysts called enzymes and by hormones, which for the most part, are proteins. When you eat proteins, you increase the efficiency of your metabolism, which increases your metabolic rate and help you burn more calories.
3. Burn more calories:
Compared to other macronutrients, proteins have a higher thermic effect of food. This simply means your body burns more calories when it processes the protein you eat. Although not all sources agree on the exact figures, it is clear that protein has a much greater thermic effect (20-30%) than carbs (5 to 10%) or fat (0 to 3%). For example, eating a 100 calories meal of proteins, your body ends up netting just about 70-80% of those calories, losing 20-30% due to the high thermic effect of proteins.
4. Muscle building
Protein can help your muscles grow and repair, which can help you maintain muscle mass while losing weight. Your skeletal muscle accounts for about 25% of your basic metabolic rate. When combined with resistance training, a high-protein diet can also help prevent muscle loss and boost your metabolism even further. A common preventable occurrence in people who lose weight is a loss of muscle mass which can lead to a decrease in the metabolic rate and increase your chances of weight regain. This can be prevented by keeping up with your protein intake goals.
How much protein is optimal?
The recommended daily intake of protein is only 46 g for an average adult female and 56 g for the average adult man. This recommendation is to help prevent protein deficiency. For people trying to lose weight, the recommendation is higher.
According to most studies, the recommended daily protein intake goal for an average adult is 30% of the recommended daily calorie intake.
Another approach to determine your total protein requirement is to use your weight which would be 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass (1.5 to 2.2 grams per kilogram). The protein recommendations for certain groups of people such as athletes might be higher.
Is a high protein diet right for me?
A high protein diet might not be ideal for everyone. In particular, people with chronic kidney disease might not be able to handle a high protein diet as this can worsen existing kidney disease. It is important you speak with your healthcare provider first before starting a high protein diet.
For sources of protein, please go to:
By: Dr. Pascal Ngongmon, MD, MHA
Dr. Pascal Ngongmon is an internist, board-certified in Obesity and Sleep Medicine.
For a weight loss consultation, please give us a call at 703-955-5355 or go online at BOOK APPOINTMENT | Optimal Sleep & Weight Loss Clinic | Weight Loss Specialist | Sleep Apnea Doctor (optimalsleepweightloss.com).
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