Effects from High Protein Diets

Incredible study on Increases in dietary Protein intake and metabolism:

Study:

Twenty-five people lived in a metabolic ward for 12 weeks and were fed a diet at 140% of their basal metabolic rate, composed of 60% carbohydrates, and either 5%, 15%, or 25% protein, with the remainder being fat.

Results: 

– The HIGH and NORMAL protein groups both gained more weight than the low protein group

– The LOW protein group actively catabolized protein despite the excess calorie consumption, and their muscle and bone mass decreased

– Participants in this study were inactive and were also required to maintain a relatively inactive lifestyle during their time in the metabolic ward. Despite these controls, activity still increased during the overfeeding period 

Take away:

– This particular study shows that eating EXCESS calories with HIGH protein leads to both greater increases in muscle, bone, and overall mass and greater increases in metabolic rate without substantially affecting gains in fat mass. 

– It’s likely that much of this increased metabolic rate was caused by the liver and kidneys processing the “excess” protein
in the experimental diets

– Without sufficient protein, even high calorie diets can still lead to loss of protein content in the human body (when living a low-activity lifestyle)

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2015/01/14/ajcn.114.091769.abstract

– Examine RD issue 5