Macro partitioning
High-protein isocaloric diets (HPD) preserve or increase muscle mass during weight loss, whereas very low-energy diets (VLED) significantly decrease muscle mass.
If you are losing weight, ensure your protein intake is high (around 1.8g per kg of body weight). This helps you keep your muscle while losing fat. Very low-calorie diets without high protein will cause you to lose muscle mass.
HPD increased muscle mass at 12 weeks (2.95%, p = 0.001), while VLED decreased it (−2.02%, p = 0.031).
Why this rating
Randomized controlled trial design with clear statistical significance (p=0.001) for the specific outcome.
Source
Quantitative analysis of the caloric restriction versus isocaloric diets models based on macronutrients composition: impacts on body weight regulation, anthropometric, and bioimpedance parameters in women with obesity
Denisa Pescari et al. · Frontiers in Nutrition · 2024
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