One expert nutritionist said the findings make sense, metabolically speaking.
“Your body needs protein. But consuming an amount of protein beyond your needs is unnecessary, may be harmful if you have kidney issues, and can lead to weight gain since excess calories from protein are stored as fat,” explained Stephanie Schiff. She’s a registered dietitian at Huntington Hospital in Huntington, N.Y.
“For obese, postmenopausal women, add in the factor of decreased insulin sensitivity and the perceived benefits from high-protein diets are lost,” she said.
Schiff believes the healthiest diet is a “balanced” one that includes complex carbohydrates as well as a recommended level of daily protein.
However, one diabetes expert believes healthy weight loss is typically beneficial in terms of preventing diabetes — even if it involves high-protein regimens.
“Most of the time people who lose weight become more insulin sensitive,” said Dr. Gerald Bernstein, who coordinates the Friedman Diabetes Program at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
He believes exercise is key, too.
“A reasonable amount of physical activity can increase insulin sensitivity in muscles,” Bernstein said, “and we generally work on caloric restriction and physical activity together.”
The findings were published Oct. 11 in the journal Cell Reports.