Effects of Varying Protein Amounts and Types on Diet-Induced Thermogenesis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Abstract
Protein is the most thermogenic macronutrient, but it is unclear how different amounts and types of protein impact diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT). The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the impact of isocaloric meals/diets containing different amounts or types of protein on energy metabolism. Databases were searched in June 2024 for studies that compare DIT or total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) in response to isocaloric acute meals or longer-term diets containing different amounts or types of protein. After identifying 3894 records, 52 studies were included. Standardized mean difference (SMD) estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for each outcome. In acute studies, intake of higher compared with lower-protein meals resulted in greater DIT (SMD: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.26, 0.65; P < 0.001) and TDEE (SMD: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.73; P < 0.001). Notably, the subgroup analysis indicated that this effect on DIT was statistically significant for studies involving participants with normal weight but not overweight/obesity, although it is not clear if this finding was a true effect or because of study design characteristics. In chronic studies (ranging from 4 d to 1 y), intake of higher compared with lower-protein diets resulted in greater TDEE (SMD: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.48; P = 0.003) and resting energy expenditure (SMD: 0.18; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.35; P = 0.039), but no differences in DIT (SMD: 0.10; 95% CI: –0.08, 0.28; P = 0.27). There was no evidence that…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Chaos and quantum thermalization
- The Dalton quantum chemistry program system
- Cord Blood Leptin and Adiponectin as Predictors of Adiposity in Children at 3 Years of Age: A Prospective Cohort Study
- Quantitative metabolomics by H-NMR and LC-MS/MS confirms altered metabolic pathways in diabetes
- Stable adiabatic quantum batteries
- A novel self-lipid antigen targets human T cells against CD1c(+) leukemias
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.