Uploaded May 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
This episode runs through four studies evaluating the impact of dietary protein % on energy intake. While some studies find that dietary protein reduces energy intake, there is no dose-response relationship, the effect occurs over different ranges of protein intake depending on the study, and it is unclear if other aspects of study design might have confounded causal inference. Likewise, one of the most well-conducted and carefully controlled studies find no impact of dietary protein % on energy intake.
Higher dietary protein intakes are of unambiguous importance for body composition and nutrient partitioning, especially when in an energy deficit (i.e. during weight loss) and when undergoing physical training. However, what these studies show is that the impact of dietary protein on energy intake per se is quite unclear, and the effect relative to other effects of food on satiety, if it does exist is quite modest.
While replacing ultraprocessed foods with higher protein foods may reduce energy intake, this may be unrelated to protein's special satiating characteristics and more related to the fact that ultraprocessed foods disproportionately encourage excess intake of energy/calories. In minimally processed diets, modifying protein % may produce little additional impact on satiety. To induce an energy deficit, it is usually not enough to add additional protein or attempt to replace food with protein shakes unless dietary quality is already poor. Other strategies are needed, and attempts should be made not merely to increase protein % but to actively reduce absolute energy intake. In other words, the protein:energy ratio (P/E ratio) as popularized by Ted Naiman's P:E diet is by no means magical and does not by itself necessarily have any substantial impact on weight loss.
Part 2 will look at meta-analyses of the effects on weight loss of dietary protein % in long-term randomized controlled trials.
The following studies were referenced in this episode:
PMID: 21272705, 22022472, 23221572, 24760974, 25183991 (search for each of these numbers on Pubmed to find the appropriate study)
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This episode runs through four studies evaluating the impact of dietary protein % on energy intake. While some studies find that dietary protein reduces energy intake, there is no dose-response relationship, the effect occurs over different ranges of protein intake depending on the study, and it is unclear if other aspects of study design might have confounded causal inference. Likewise, one of the most well-conducted and carefully controlled studies find no impact of dietary protein % on energy intake.
Higher dietary protein intakes are of unambiguous importance for body composition and nutrient partitioning, especially when in an energy deficit (i.e. during weight loss) and when undergoing physical training. However, what these studies show is that the impact of dietary protein on energy intake per se is quite unclear, and the effect relative to other effects of food on satiety, if it does exist is quite modest.
While replacing ultraprocessed foods with higher protein foods may reduce energy intake, this may be unrelated to protein's special satiating characteristics and more related to the fact that ultraprocessed foods disproportionately encourage excess intake of energy/calories. In minimally processed diets, modifying protein % may produce little additional impact on satiety. To induce an energy deficit, it is usually not enough to add additional protein or attempt to replace food with protein shakes unless dietary quality is already poor. Other strategies are needed, and attempts should be made not merely to increase protein % but to actively reduce absolute energy intake. In other words, the protein:energy ratio (P/E ratio) as popularized by Ted Naiman's P:E diet is by no means magical and does not by itself necessarily have any substantial impact on weight loss.
Part 2 will look at meta-analyses of the effects on weight loss of dietary protein % in long-term randomized controlled trials.
The following studies were referenced in this episode:
PMID: 21272705, 22022472, 23221572, 24760974, 25183991 (search for each of these numbers on Pubmed to find the appropriate study)
===
Like, comment, subscribe.
For more, find me at:
PODCAST The Kevin Bass Show
YOUTUBE youtube.com/user/kbassphiladelphia
WEBSITE thedietwars.com
TWITTER twitter.com/kevinnbass
twitter.com/healthmisinfo
INSTAGRAM instagram.com/kevinnbass
TIKTOK tiktok.com/@kevinnbass
And above all, please donate to support what I do:
PATREON patreon.com/kevinnbass
DONATE thedietwars.com/support-me
