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The Effect of Protein Shakes on Weight Loss

Protein shakes are available at many stores ready to help in healthy living. Some claim to help you loose weight, gain muscle or burn calories. You can purchase pre-made protein shakes or protein in powder form. They come in many flavors and price ranges. Protein shakes are a great way to assist with a healthy diet and obtain optimal amounts of protein.

  1. Daily Recommended Allowance of Protein

    • Protein is essential to the body to build muscle, bone, skin and tissue. The recommended daily allowance for a normally active adult is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of weight a day. To convert pounds to kilograms, divide your body weight by 2.2.

    Uses

    • Ready-made protein drinks provide quick protein when a meal can't be had. Many times after working out, or when individuals are too busy to eat, a protein shake can provide protein to maintain energy levels. According to Jose Antonio, PhD, FACSM, CSCS, of the International Society of Sports and Nutrition (ISSN), protein shakes are a safe way to ensure enough protein when used in part with a nutrient balanced diet.

    Diet

    • Weight loss is obtained by controlling the amount of fat and calories ingested balanced with the energy output. Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. of the Mayo Clinic, finds that eating a source of protein as a snack or meal is a great way to feel satisfied longer, which means you are likely to consume fewer calories later. This doesn't mean all shakes are going to provide the same results or always be a healthy replacement for a meal.

    Weight Loss

    • Adding protein shakes to your diet won't necessarily help you loose weight. Zeratsky states that many manufactured protein shakes claim to decrease body fat or help in weight loss, but there is no evidence that the claims are true. If you do include protein shakes in your weight loss plan, try to find shakes high in protein and low in fat such as Slim-Fast. Antonio from the ISSN finds shakes with more than 50 percent protein will aide in losing body fat.

    Sources of Protein in Shakes

    • Protein shakes use different types of ingredients to create their shakes, which do not have much effect on potential weight loss. Milk, whey, casein, egg and soy are all common protein sources for shakes. Make sure to read labels carefully if you have food allergies. Casein takes longer for the body to digest causing one to feel full longer. Casein is the main protein found in milk.

    Considerations

    • Marticia Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health and Fitness worries that protein shakes add 200 to 300 extra grams of protein a day that your body doesn't need. If that protein isn't burned off through exercise, they are stored in the body as fat. There is concern of kidney damage and bone loss when the body ingests too much protein.

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