A new study has found that dieters who eat a high protein diet lose more weight than others. The study was conducted at the University of South Australia in Adelaide and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The lead author was Thomas Wycherley. The study looked at 24 published trials with a total of 1,063 participants.
All of the participants were put on a reduced-calorie diet, with half eating high protein and half eating standard protein levels. A high protein diet contains 85 grams of protein for a 150 pound person. A standard protein diet contains 49 grams of protein for a 150 pound person.
After 12 weeks of dieting, the participants lost between 2.4 pounds to 25.1 pounds. The high protein group lost 1.8 pounds extra on average. Thomas Wycherly says that while the results were modest, “it may still represent clinical relevance on a population level.”
Dr. James Levine from the Mayo Clinic in Arizona commented on the results. “The studies are generally far too short to tell impact.” He added that in regards to the studies they reviewed, “many are inadequately conducted to be relevant.”
The study did not find an explanation for why a high protein diet could affect weight loss. Wycherly hypothesized that the body could spend more energy processing protein, or that the protein could help with muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories to maintain itself when compared with other body mass.
Source: Fox News