Replacing meals with high protein shakes eliminates excess calories and fat from your diet and leads to weight loss. When you reduce calories and remove the option of food, you can expect to lose three to four pounds a week.
The group using weight loss shakes lost 12.3% of their body weight while the group following the food-based meal plan lost 6.9% of their body weight. This study indicates that by consuming weight loss shakes, the participants were able to lose weight to the tune of 0.77% of their initial body weight in a week.
Plus, in a 6-week study, individuals followed either a low or high protein diet, which included shakes. Each diet was calorie-restricted. Notably, those on the higher protein plan gained 2.4 pounds (1.1 kg) more muscle and lost 2.9 pounds (1.3) more fat ( 18 ).
Following a protein shake diet encourages weight loss by curbing appetite and reducing the total calories a person consumes in a day. Although these diets can be effective in the short term, healthcare professionals do not recommend living solely or primarily on meal replacement shakes.
In one study, consuming 30% of calories from protein caused participants to eat almost 450 calories less per day—leading to twelve pounds of weight loss in 3 months (8). Some research has even suggested 25% of your calories coming from protein can help curb cravings (9).
Adding protein to your diet has been linked to weight loss, even without exercise or conscious calorie restriction.
Makers of protein shakes may say that their products help lower body fat or promote weight loss. But protein shakes aren't a magic way to lose weight. Some studies find that consuming a higher than usual amount of protein in your diet may offer benefits.
Protein shakes support muscle growth and repair after exercise and they can be a quick meal replacement when you're on the go. Drinking two protein shakes instead of full meals daily may help you lose weight, but it isn't really a long-term weight management solution.
Health Risks
Replacing multiple meals per day with protein shakes over a long-term period could result in nutrient deficiencies, digestive distress, nausea, bloating, headaches, fatigue or negative interactions with certain medications. Additionally, many protein shakes get up to half their calories from sugars.
Is it Safe to Have More Than One Protein Shake a Day? Yes. It's safe to have more than one protein shake a day, but the experts we spoke with recommended capping your consumption at three.
There can be health consequences if you drink protein shakes without exercising are: (1) less muscle gain, (2) unwanted weight gain, (3) increased risk of kidney-related problems, and (4) abnormal spike in blood glucose level.
Whey protein can be an excellent addition to your weight loss diet if you're trying to gain muscle, increase strength and lose significant amounts of body fat, including excess belly fat.
To lose 10 pounds in one week, you'll need to burn between 3,500 and 5,000 calories more than you consume each day by restricting your diet to small portions of nutritious yet low-calorie foods, and significantly increasing your aerobic exercise with interval training, sports, and other vigorous activities.
Usually, it takes up to 6 weeks for whey protein to show results.
And if you're not that active, you likely don't need more than one protein shake per day. If you're extremely active (more than one workout per day, or extremely long training sessions), three protein shakes per day might be appropriate, Byrd says.
One scoop (one serving) of protein powder contains 121 calories in energy. If your goal is to lose weight, you should aim for protein shakes with calories under 200 grams per serving.
Protein shakes are good for weight loss because they are satiating and may boost metabolism. Replace a meal, like dinner, with a low-calorie, no added sugar protein shake to lose weight. It's best to make your own protein shake with fruits, nut butter, and a sugar-free protein powder.
To be clear, there is no hard-and-fast rule about drinking protein shakes, and having too many of them in one day likely won't have any long-term detrimental effects. For most people, anywhere from one to three protein shakes per day should be plenty to help them meet their nutritional needs.
If you're of average build and go to the gym regularly, two protein shakes a day is enough to maintain your body mass. But if you're seriously involved in athletic sports, fitness practices and strength exercises, you may need to drink three to four protein shakes daily to sustain your physique and performance.
Women use protein powder for a variety of reasons, including muscle growth, speeding recovery after workouts and stimulating weight loss. These supplements provide a concentrated source of high-quality protein in a versatile and easy-to-use powder, which can be added to shakes, smoothies and many more recipes.