Does Protein Help with Weight Loss?

Protein is the single most important nutrient in your body. Ensuring you continually consume high protein will boost your metabolism, reduce appetite and other weight regulating hormones. Many studies point to protein helping the body lose weight and even belly fat.

How Does Protein Help You Lose Weight

When you eat more protein, you eat less of other foods. Studies found that when overweight individuals increased protein intake from 15% to 30% of calories made those in the study eat almost 500 fewer calories each day without restricting. 

Also, protein can boost the metabolism and increased the amount of calories burned. Due to the high thermic effect and several other factors, a high protein intake tends to boost metabolism.

Weight Loss Isn't Fat Loss

Weight loss does not mean your body fat will decrease. When one loses weight, muscle mass reduces as well. Muscle is not the enemy -- body fat is. Most people want to remove fat from their midsection, which is subcutaneous fat. This is fat under the skin and visceral fat, which is fat under the organs. 

Besides just muscle loss, losing weight can decrease the metabolism. Therefore, with a slower metabolism and less muscle, you end up burning fewer calories than you did before you lost weight. 

The trick is ensuring you keep muscle mass through proper protein intake. 

How to Get Your Protein Needs

Many people find it difficult to consume all their protein through foods, so they turn to a protein supplement from whey or plant-based. Whey protein and pea-based protein contains an enormous range of Essential Amino Acids (EAA’s) and Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s). Research studies reveal that supplementing with whey protein can aid in increasing your strength gains, muscle mass and help lose body fat.  

Here are some of the ways that protein supplements can help you lose weight and aid in total fat loss.  

• Suppressing appetite, leading to reduced calorie intake (British Journal of Nutrition. 2014, Oct 28) 
• Boosting metabolism, helping you burn more calories 
• Helping maintain muscle mass that when losing weight 

Other studies in normal weight, over weight and obese individuals suggest Whey protein can improve body composition by decreasing fat and increasing lean muscle mass. (Journal International Society Sports Nutrition, 2015, Sept), (Journal of Nutrition, 2011:Aug14), (Journal of Nutrition, 2015: Sept 7) 

Protein with Amino Acids

There are a total of 9 Essential Amino Acids which must come from diet or supplementation since the body cant make them. Of these 9 EAA’s, 3 of them are referred to as Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s), Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine. Leucine has shown to have the biggest impact on your body’s capacity to build muscle protein. Isoleucine and Valine has shown to be effective at producing energy.  

• Building Blocks- Whey provides a complete protein which serves as building blocks for increased muscle growth. Strength training coupled with consumption of high protein foods or whey supplements, has been shown to increase strength gains.  
• Hormonal stimulant- Whey increases the release of anabolic hormones that can stimulate muscle growth, such as insulin synthesis. 
• Quick absorption- Whey is protein is absorbed and utilized very quickly compared to other types of protein. 

How Much Protein to Have

There are a lot of theories on how much protein should be consumed daily and when to take it.  It is recommended to ingest  20-25g of Whey Protein post workout as it seems this is the optimal window for your cells to absorb and utilize the protein to establish (MPS). There is evidence that in some situations protein intake timing matters. (J, Int. Society Sports Nutrition. 2018 Feb 27; 15:10).  

What matters most is the amount of protein consistently digested over the course of the day. Recent literature reveals to maintain current lean muscle mass you need to consume 0.5-1.0 g/kg/day if indeed you are training frequently and the primary goal is to build muscle. Using the upper limits of protein intake of 2.0 g/kg/day throughout the day would maximize acute anabolic responses (muscle growth) as well as chronic anabolic adaptations.  

Remember that this is a model to start from. Everyone is an individual and so will respond differently as there are so many variables. You will nave to find what works best for you.  

If you are looking to lose weight, gain muscle mass and strength, make sure you are eating enough protein through the day. Remember that consistency is the key!

LivPur Whey or Plant-Based Protein