Research
Macro partitioning
Long-term adherence to low-carbohydrate-high-protein (LCHP) diets, particularly those high in animal protein and fat, is associated with an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, whereas vegetable-based LCHP diets are associated with lower mortality.
If you follow a low-carb, high-protein diet, prioritize plant-based proteins and fats. Animal-based high-protein, low-carb diets may be associated with higher mortality risks in the long term.
ModerateQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
The evidence is assessed as: ... suggestive for a relationship between increased all-cause mortality risk and long-term low-carbohydrate-high-protein (LCHP) diets; ... suggestive for an inverse relationship between cardiovascular mortality and vegetable protein intake
Why this rating
Graded as 'suggestive' (low evidence) based on prospective cohort studies, indicating an association but not definitive causation.
Source
Health effects of protein intake in healthy adults: a systematic literature review
Agnes N. Pedersen et al. · Food & Nutrition Research · 2013
DOI 10.3402/fnr.v57i0.21245
Meta-analysis · 64 studiesCited 168×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- An estimated average protein requirement of 0.66 g/kg body weight per day of good-quality protein is probable for healthy adults, with a recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of 0.83 g/kg/day established via nitrogen balance studies.Good
- Vegetable protein intake is inversely associated with cardiovascular mortality and blood pressure, while total protein intake per se has an inconclusive relationship with all-cause mortality.Moderate
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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