Is Protein Powder Good for Weight Loss?
Key takeaways:
A high-protein diet can help with weight loss in several different ways. It can help reduce your appetite, build lean muscle mass, and improve your overall metabolism.
If you're trying to increase your protein intake for weight loss, protein powder may not be the best choice. Many protein powders are intended to help people gain weight.
Whey protein powder is likely to be more helpful than other types of protein powders if you're struggling to get enough protein on your weight-loss journey.
If you're making changes to your diet to achieve weight loss, you may be considering the benefits of increasing your protein intake. But there are different ways to do this when it comes to your health and weight goals.
Let’s take a closer look at whether protein powder is a good choice.
What exactly is a protein powder?
Protein powders are nutritional supplements designed to provide a high amount of protein per serving. The most common types of protein sources include:
Dairy (whey, casein, or milk)
Plants (peas, rice, or hemp)
Soy
Eggs (usually egg whites)
Are you getting enough protein? If you’re losing weight, it's important to get enough protein. This will help keep your bones and muscles strong along the way.
Your protein powder guide: If you want to try adding a protein powder to your diet, this guide will help you choose the best one for your health and weight goals.
What are the healthiest types of protein? If you're trying to increase your protein intake, learn more about the most nutritious options.
Most protein powders contain more than just protein. They may also contain other nutrients and additives such as:
Vitamins and amino acids that play a role in muscle health
Dietary fat
Sugar, artificial sweeteners, or flavorings
Thickening agents
Are protein powders good for weight loss?
Protein powders aren’t always good for weight loss. Many protein powders contain high amounts of calories, fats, and sugars that may sabotage your weight-loss attempts. Keep in mind that many people use protein powders in order to gain — and not lose — weight.
But if you're trying to lose weight, it's important to make sure you're getting enough protein. This will help keep your body strong and prevent losing muscle mass. And a high-protein diet can help with your weight-loss goals.
Research suggests that protein:
Increases feelings of fullness, which may decrease overall calorie consumption
Reduces appetite by decreasing levels of your ghrelin, the hunger hormone
Reduces fat storage and buildup
Improves insulin sensitivity
Burns more calories during the digestion process (compared to fat or carbohydrates)
Increases overall calorie burn by increasing lean muscle mass
There are many ways to increase your protein intake to help with weight loss. You don’t necessarily need to get it from a protein powder.
Which type of protein is best for weight loss?
The best type of protein for weight loss is lean protein that contains other essential nutrients. This includes both animal and plant-based options, such as:
Chicken and turkey
Eggs
Seafood
Dairy, especially milk and yogurt
Nuts, especially peanuts and almonds
Beans, lentils, and legumes
Soy products, like tofu
Certain whole grains, like oats
In general, whole foods are usually better for you than protein powder. This is because it's easier for your body to absorb the nutrients from natural food. But protein powders may be a good choice for people struggling to get enough protein in their weight-loss journey.
If this is the case for you, research suggests that whey protein is better for weight loss than other types of protein powders. Just make sure to read the ingredients’ list and nutrition label to make sure it doesn’t contain excess sugar or calories.
Precautions
If you want to follow a high-protein diet, aim for 1 g to 1.6 g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day. It's best not to go above 2 g of protein per kilogram per day. This is because protein can be hard on the kidneys, and this could affect your kidney function.
People who eat high-protein diets also risk crowding out other essential nutrients — like fiber — that your body needs to stay healthy. This is especially true if you're trying to lose weight.
The bottom line
Increasing your protein intake can help with weight loss. But the types of protein you eat matters. If you can, try to eat more lean protein sources like poultry, seafood, and plant-based proteins. But, depending on your other weight-loss treatments and health conditions, it may be hard to get enough protein with whole foods. And when you're losing weight, it's important to get enough protein so you don’t lose muscle mass. In this case, protein powders can be a helpful way to supplement your intake.
Why trust our experts?
References
Melse-Boonstra, A. (2020). Bioavailability of micronutrients from nutrient-dense whole foods: Zooming in on dairy, vegetables, and fruits. Frontiers in Nutrition.
Patel, V., et al. (2023). Protein supplementation: The double-edged sword. Proceedings.
Sepandi, M., et al. (2022). Effect of whey protein supplementation on weight and body composition indicators: A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN.
Wu, G. (2016). Dietary protein intake and human health. Food & Function.
