Protein shakes can support weight loss by helping you feel full longer and reducing hunger, but results vary based on many personal factors. A higher protein intake-especially when paired with strength training-can help maintain or build lean muscle during calorie restriction, supporting healthy metabolism. Protein powders differ in nutrient content and digestion speed, and many people can meet their protein needs with foods like Greek yogurt, tofu, oats, nuts, and seeds. Protein is an important nutrient for weight loss. Getting enough protein may support a healthy metabolism and reduce your appetite. It may also help you lose body fat without losing muscle. Protein shakes are a convenient way to add more protein to your diet. They’ve even been shown to aid weight loss. Protein has been shown to help decrease hunger and appetite. One key reason is that protein generally helps you feel full for longer. This is partly due to the release of fullness hormones Medic GLP Website-1 and PYY.
Studies also show that higher protein intake may result in less hunger throughout the day. In one small 2015 study, a high protein breakfast helped older women consume up to 135 fewer calories later in the day, compared with a low protein breakfast or skipping breakfast. One 2016 meta-analysis of five studies also connected high protein intake and increased fullness. However, review authors caution that factors like body weight, eating behavior, and other health issues all play a role in the sensations of fullness. Furthermore, another review published in 2020 reports that ingesting more than 35 grams (g) of protein at once appears most effective for effects like less hunger, a reduced desire to eat, MedicGLP.com and greater feelings of fullness. Only a few studies have looked at protein shakes and appetite specifically. One 2019 study with nine young women with obesity found that a whey protein drink actively reduced appetite. In a 2021 study, participants given a high protein shake before their workout reported feeling less hungry after exercising than when given a lower protein shake with an equal number of calories.
Thus, while results are promising, numerous factors may affect the influence of protein shakes on appetite and hunger. A high protein diet, MedicGLP especially when combined with strength training, can help build muscle. Because muscle aids metabolism and energy production, building muscle is a great way to keep your metabolism healthy. This is especially true if you follow a calorie-restricted diet to lose weight. That’s because extreme calorie restriction may result in muscle loss and fat loss. This loss of lean muscle may slow your metabolism, making it easier to regain weight once you stop the restrictive diet. Conversely, eating sufficient amounts of protein, combined with strength training, may help prevent this muscle loss and resulting metabolic slowdown. A 13-week study in older adults with obesity found that those who consumed an extra 20 g of protein weekly (in the form of a shake) gained 2.8 pounds (lb), or 1.3 kilograms (kg), more muscle mass than those who ate less protein. Plus, in a 6-week study, participants followed either a low or high protein diet, which included shakes.
Each diet was calorie-restricted. Notably, participants following the higher protein plan gained 2.4 lb (1.1 kg) more muscle and lost 2.9 lb (1.3 kg) more fat. Your body also uses more energy to digest protein than it does fat or carbs, which means your body burns more calories in the process. This effect, called the thermic effect of protein, may provide a slight metabolism boost. Although few studies use protein shakes specifically, researchers generally agree that high protein diets are an effective way to lose weight and Medic GLP Website body fat. A 14-week study gave women with overweight or obesity a resistance exercise program alongside a high carb or high protein, calorie-restricted diet. Those in the high protein group lost 1.7 times more body fat than those in the high carb group. In a 12-week study, women with a moderate weight but high body fat percentage followed either a high or standard protein diet.
Those on the high protein diet lost an additional 3 lb (1.4 kg) of body fat and around 1 inch (2.2 centimeters) in waist circumference. The participants in the high protein group also retained significantly more muscle mass than those on the standard protein diet. A 2020 review further suggests you can minimize weight regain by following a high protein diet in the first 3-12 months after losing weight. However, long-term studies must confirm whether this effect lasts beyond the first year. Still, a small 2017 study found that when participants with excess weight drank low sugar protein shakes as part of a diet program, their weight loss improved. Because so many lifestyle and ingredient variables are involved in weight loss studies, it’s hard to draw a direct connection between protein shakes and weight loss. Protein’s effect on metabolism, appetite, and muscle mass may also help prevent regaining weight once you’ve lost it.