Effects of high‐protein diets on fat‐free mass and muscle protein synthesis following weight loss: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to determine the effects of varying levels of dietary protein on body composition and muscle protein synthesis during energy deficit (ED). A randomized controlled trial of 39 adults assigned the subjects diets providing protein at 0.8 (recommended dietary allowance; RDA), 1.6 (2×-RDA), and 2.4 (3×-RDA) g kg(-1) d(-1) for 31 d. A 10-d weight-maintenance (WM) period was followed by a 21 d, 40% ED. Body composition and postabsorptive and postprandial muscle protein synthesis were assessed during WM (d 9-10) and ED (d 30-31). Volunteers lost (P<0.05) 3.2 ± 0.2 kg body weight during ED regardless of dietary protein. The proportion of weight loss due to reductions in fat-free mass was lower (P<0.05) and the loss of fat mass was higher (P<0.05) in those receiving 2×-RDA and 3×-RDA compared to RDA. The anabolic muscle response to a protein-rich meal during ED was not different (P>0.05) from WM for 2×-RDA and 3×-RDA, but was lower during ED than WM for those consuming RDA levels of protein (energy × protein interaction, P<0.05). To assess muscle protein metabolic responses to varied protein intakes during ED, RDA served as the study control. In summary, we determined that consuming dietary protein at levels exceeding the RDA may protect fat-free mass during short-term weight loss.

Changes in quadriceps muscle girth after anterior cruciate ligament injury followed by electrostimulation combined with high protein diet and exercises (ARPwave method)

“…Pasiakos et al [15] stated that high-protein consumption, above the recommended dietary allowance (RDA), might maintain the fat-free mass during short term weight loss. They determined the influence of different levels of dietary protein Table 4.…”

Effects of skeletal muscle energy availability on protein turnover responses to exercise

“…As MPS is energetically expensive, it is hardly surprising that periods of energy deficit attenuate resting-, fasted- (Areta et al, 2014;Murphy et al, 2015;Pasiakos et al, 2010) and feedinginduced MPS (Murphy et al, 2015;Pasiakos et al, 2013). However, the magnitude to which energy deficit affects post-REX MPS responses has received little attention.…”

Weight Management for Athletes: Important Things to be Considered

“…For instance, one study placed active military personnel (BMI 25 ± 1 kg/m2) on a 40 % energyrestricted diet for 30 days, while being fed the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein (0.8 g/kg/body weight) [30]. Of the 3.3 kg lost during this time (4.2 % body weight), 58 % was lean tissue (1.9 kg).…”

“…Of the 3.3 kg lost during this time (4.2 % body weight), 58 % was lean tissue (1.9 kg). In contrast, when they placed sedentary overweight individuals (BMI 27.8 kg/m2) on a 25 % energy-restriction diet for 3 months, they lost 6 kg, with only 33 % coming from lean tissue (2 kg) [30]. Furthermore, Garthe et al [15] showed that the athletes who had slower, and more logical weight loss around 0.7 % loss of body weight per week helped maintain lean tissue while improving strength gains compared with more severe weight loss (1.4 % weight loss/week).…”