Whey Protein Supplement Promotes Fat Loss
A flurry of recent research has shown that high-protein diets promote weight loss and muscle preservation during weight loss. Other research has demonstrated that whey protein supplementation augments improvements in body composition resulting from exercise. Now, a team of researchers has published a study that combines these two related threads of research.
One hundred fifty-eight obese men and women participated in the study. All of them were placed on a diet that contained 500 fewer calories per day than their normal diet. Half of the subjects consumed a whey protein supplement daily before breakfast and again before dinner. The remaining subjects consumed a supplement of equal calories. The study period lasted 12 weeks. Body weight and anthropometric measurements were recorded every four weeks.
Members of both groups lost a significant amount of body weight. Those consuming the whey protein supplement lost slightly more weight, on average, but the difference was not statistically significant. However, members of the whey protein group lost significantly more body fat than controls (2.81 vs. 1.62 kg) and lost significantly less muscle mass (1.07 vs. 2.41 kg). The study's authors concluded, "Subjects taking [a whey protein supplement] lost significantly more body fat and showed a greater preservation of lean muscle compared to subjects consuming the control beverage. Because subjects taking Prolibra lost 6.1% of their body fat mass, and because a 5% reduction of body fat mass has been shown to reduce the risk of obesity related disease, the results have practical significance."
The study was published in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism and was funded by Glanbia USA and Humanetics Corp. |
