Sigma Nutrition Radio

#491: Do High Protein Intakes Cause Insulin Resistance?

Aug 8, 2023

01:02:53

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About This Episode:

There has been interest in, and debate about, how protein intake impacts metabolic health, particularly in relation to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes risk.

Recently, there has been interest in higher protein intakes as an intervention in diabetes, owing to a variety of potential mechanisms. For example, the satiety value of protein, the promotion of insulin secretion by protein, and imapcts on incretin hormones.

However, others have warned against high protein intakes. With some going as far as to claim high, or even moderate, protein intakes can lead to insulin resistance or negatively effect beta-cell function.

In this episode, we look at the research typically cited in support of such claims, and dig into the details. We consider the overall evidence in this area to answer the question ‘do high protein diets cause insulin resistance or increase diabetes risk?’.