There are a number of weight-centric reasons why people may emphasize protein on their plates. Protein may help with satiety and weight loss, muscle growth and weight gain, or lean body mass preservation and weight maintenance.
Could you give me some advice on how lack of protein will affect my sleep? I found that really interesting and would love to read more about that. I am a PT and a hard core nerd so article links are more than fine. Thanks for the read!
Thanks for your question! Protein and sleep is a very interesting topic that is getting some attention right now. If you are interested in reading about some recent studies on this topic, I would recommend this systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs that was published in Nutrition Reviews in March 2023 (https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/81/3/333/6694939). While there was overall not enough evidence to establish a clear relationship between protein intake and sleep outcomes, they did a great job explaining some of the reasons why their study design may have not found a clear relationship, indicating that one may actually exist. Numerous studies within that systematic review indicated significantly better global sleep scores with higher protein diets compared to low protein diets.
Some recent studies are looking into potential differences between plant vs. animal proteins and their effects on sleep. This study published in the Frontiers in Nutrition in March 2022 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8959711/) seemed to find some increased benefit on sleep with plant based proteins, for example. More studies would be needed to find conclusive evidence on this, however.
Lastly, protein-rich foods are satiating, so having a protein-rich evening meal may alleviate nighttime hunger and therefore benefit sleep. However, there is also some argument that eating too much protein right before bed could cause sleep disturbances, since energy would be shunted to the digestive system during a time that is supposed to be for fasting. This generally supports my recommendation to space protein intake evenly throughout the day in 20-35 gram increments, rather than packing-in large portions of protein at dinnertime.
Could you give me some advice on how lack of protein will affect my sleep? I found that really interesting and would love to read more about that. I am a PT and a hard core nerd so article links are more than fine. Thanks for the read!
Thanks for your question! Protein and sleep is a very interesting topic that is getting some attention right now. If you are interested in reading about some recent studies on this topic, I would recommend this systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs that was published in Nutrition Reviews in March 2023 (https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/81/3/333/6694939). While there was overall not enough evidence to establish a clear relationship between protein intake and sleep outcomes, they did a great job explaining some of the reasons why their study design may have not found a clear relationship, indicating that one may actually exist. Numerous studies within that systematic review indicated significantly better global sleep scores with higher protein diets compared to low protein diets.
One of the practical reasons why low protein intake may negatively impact sleep is due to the essential amino acid Tryptophan. Tryptophan is a substrate for the synthesis of serotonin and melatonin, both of which are important neurotransmitters for our circadian rhythms. Check out this systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression that was published in Nutrition Reviews in February 2022 (https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/80/2/306/6263432?login=false&itm_medium=sidebar&itm_source=trendmd-widget&itm_campaign=Nutrition_Reviews&itm_content=Nutrition_Reviews_0) discussing the benefits of tryptophan supplementation on sleep maintenance parameters, including wake after sleep onset and sleep efficiency.
Some recent studies are looking into potential differences between plant vs. animal proteins and their effects on sleep. This study published in the Frontiers in Nutrition in March 2022 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8959711/) seemed to find some increased benefit on sleep with plant based proteins, for example. More studies would be needed to find conclusive evidence on this, however.
Lastly, protein-rich foods are satiating, so having a protein-rich evening meal may alleviate nighttime hunger and therefore benefit sleep. However, there is also some argument that eating too much protein right before bed could cause sleep disturbances, since energy would be shunted to the digestive system during a time that is supposed to be for fasting. This generally supports my recommendation to space protein intake evenly throughout the day in 20-35 gram increments, rather than packing-in large portions of protein at dinnertime.
I hope this provides a helpful start!
I forgot to reply that I really appreciate all this great info!