Endocrinologist says a high-protein diet does not guarantee weight loss

A high-protein diet does not by itself lead to weight loss. A calorie deficit is still needed, endocrinologist Pavel Baranov said.

Protein can increase fullness, help preserve muscle mass and takes more energy to digest, Baranov said. Those effects may make a diet easier to follow, but they do not override the importance of total calorie intake.

Extra food can erase a planned calorie deficit, the doctor warned. He cited adding a couple of protein shakes to an otherwise calorie-restricted diet as an example.

Baranov said a high-protein diet may support weight loss when it is part of a calorie deficit. Simply increasing the share of protein is not enough if a person regularly consumes more energy than they use.