Research
Macro partitioning
Whey protein supplementation during caloric restriction promotes 'high-quality' weight loss by maximizing fat loss while sparing lean body mass and resting metabolic rate.
When you are dieting to lose fat, add whey protein to your meals. It helps you lose more fat and keep more muscle than just eating a standard low-calorie diet. This protects your metabolism and makes it easier to keep the weight off. Aim for higher protein intake (over 1.25 g/kg/day) during your diet.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
A recent meta-analysis showed that higher protein consumption (>1.25 g/kg/d) during caloric restriction resulted in greater losses of BW and fat mass and completely attenuated decreases in lean body mass and resting energy expenditure, as compared with standard protein (0.72 g/kg/d) diets. This 'high quality' weight loss... is important in the maintenance of resting metabolic rate and prevention of weight regain.
Why this rating
Supported by meta-analyses and RCTs.
Source
Supplemental Protein in Support of Muscle Mass and Health: Advantage Whey
Michaela C. Devries et al. · Journal of Food Science · 2015
DOI 10.1111/1750-3841.12802
narrative_reviewCited 325×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Whey protein stimulates muscle protein synthesis (MPS) to a greater extent than casein or soy due to its rapid digestibility and high leucine content, leading to superior gains in lean body mass and strength when combined with resistance training.Good
- Older adults require higher doses of whey protein (35-40g) per meal to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis due to 'anabolic resistance' associated with aging.Good
Related findings · Macro partitioning
- Total daily protein intake of 1.6 g/kg/day is sufficient for maximizing resistance training-induced muscle gains, with an upper confidence interval of 2.2 g/kg/day.Strong
- Resistance exercise training combined with sufficient dietary protein intake acts synergistically to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with protein intake saturating around 1.6 g/kg/day for general populations and potentially requiring 2.0-2.2 g/kg/day for resistance-trained individuals.Strong
- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
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