Do High Protein Diets Really Help You Lose Weight?

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Fats, carbohydrates, and protein make up the essential nutrients in which our bodies need to function properly. And just like any diet out there, there are ways in which we increase or decrease the amount of these food categories in order to obtain our health goals. This may be, losing weight, lowering our risk of disease, or increasing our intake of specific vitamins.

High-protein diets, such as the Atkins diet, promote diets high in protein and low in carbs. Because your body requires carbs as a main source of energy, once your carb load is burned through, it turns to fat. This can often times cause people to lose weight. Protein keeps you full for longer by warding off hunger. This all sounds like a high-protein diet is the way to go, but it’s not for everybody.

The problem with high-protein diets? Too much protein can actually cause us to gain weight. There is a fine line between eating just enough to keep your hunger (and weight) low, and eating too much – or the wrong kinds – of protein.

In addition to eating too much protein, people at risk for heart disease should be weary of a high-protein diet. Although replacing carbs and fats with protein can cause some to lose weight, a Spanish study found that in some adults at risk for heart disease, a high-protein diet can cause weight gain and early death.

Monica Bullo, lead researcher at Pere Virgili Health Research Institute in Reus, Spain, says that, “high protein intake is related to kidney disease, changes in sugar and insulin metabolism, and changes in blood fat.”

The problems with these high-protein, low-carb diets is that the long-term effects haven’t been studied yet. It is unsure whether it is 100 percent safe to consume high-protein for long periods of time. Eat an average amount of protein, and ask your doctor what is best recommended for you.

How much protein is enough?

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It is a myth that eating tons and tons of protein will help you become strong and muscular. In fact, just the opposite. Extra protein is stored as fat, as are any excess calories of any sort. The recommended amount of protein differs for everyone and depends on age, weight and activity level. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (or 0.37 grams per pound). That means a woman who is 130 pounds should eat 48 grams of protein per day, which may be 7 ounces of salmon or seven eggs. Yet, depending on activity level this may not be enough still.

As a general rule, adults should have about 25 grams of protein at every meal. It is always important to consult with a doctor, or correctly measure out the amount of protein you need for your activity levels. Lack of protein can result in weight gain, fatigue, loss of muscles and a slow metabolism.

Yet, there are plenty of disputes over how much protein is enough – especially for athletes. According to the the June 2014 issue of Today’s Dietician, studies have shown the RDA may not be enough for great health. In fact, athletes, older people and very active people may need even more.

They say that “recommendations vary significantly depending on the type of athlete, current body weight, total energy intake, whether weight loss or weight gain is the goal, exercise intensity and duration, training status, the quality of the dietary protein, and the individual’s age.” Now that’s a lot to consider. But in addition, Christopher Mohr, P.h.D., R.D., says the general rule of thumb is 1.2 to 1.4 grams/kg of body weight for endurance athletes and 1.2 to 1.7 grams/kg of body weight for strength and power athletes.

In short, calculate how much you burn per exercise session and increase or decrease your protein levels from there.

What kind of protein is best?

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Lean proteins are the way to go. Eating less animal protein and more plant-based protein is recommended almost across the board. Lean meats, such as skinless poultry and fat-trimmed pork, seafood, beans, soy, low-fat dairy, eggs, nuts, and seeds are all great examples of healthy proteins.

Samantha Heller, a senior clinical nutritionist at New York University Medical Center in New York City, says that high-protein diets allow as much steak, pork and bacon as one desires, yet these animal proteins are proven to increase the risk of heart disease, colon cancer and diabetes. Instead, Heller suggests a plant-based diet.

“Overall, the research is pretty clear that more plant-based diets offer a wide array of health benefits, including lower risks of many chronic diseases, better weight management and healthier hearts and brains,” she says.

The bottom line?

In short, high-protein diets can cause you to lose weight – if you do them right. Yet, these diets can cause weight gain and long-term health problems if you eat too much protein, the wrong protein, or don’t tailor your protein intake to your own body.

Be sure to research any diet plan you begin and keep in mind the pros and cons to each eating regimen. While there are drawbacks of eating a diet high in protein, there are also positive weight-loss stories. Depending on your goals, your activity level and your eating habits, consult with a doctor, nutritionist, or your own research to determine whether or not a high-protein diet is right for you.

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