Sex differences in energy homeostatis following a diet relatively high in protein exchanged with carbohydrate, assessed in a respiration chamber in humans

• Published in: Physiology & behavior Vol. 97; no. 3; pp. 414 - 419
• Main Authors: Westerterp-Plantenga, Margriet S, Lejeune, Manuela P.G.M, Smeets, Astrid J.P.G, Luscombe-Marsh, Natalie D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 22.06.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis of Variance; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; Body Composition - drug effects; Dietary Carbohydrates - pharmacology; Dietary Proteins - pharmacology; Energy metabolism; Energy Metabolism - drug effects; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - methods; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 - blood; Humans; Macronutrient balance; Male; Oxygen Consumption - drug effects; Pain Measurement - methods; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Respiration - drug effects; Satiety-hormones; Sex Characteristics; Single-Blind Method; Statistics, Nonparametric; Substrate oxidation; Young Adult; Energy metabolism; Substrate oxidation; Macronutrient balance; Satiety-hormones; Human; Hormone; Sex; Protein; Feeding; Diet; Satiety; Carbohydrate; Oxidation; Respiration; Macronutrient
• ISSN: 0031-9384; 1873-507X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2009.03.010

Abstract Context Obesity prevalence is generally higher in women than in men, and a paucity of research with sex-specific approaches exists. The question arises whether current weight loss programmes, largely developed and tested on women, are appropriate for men. Objective Investigate 24 h energy metabolism, satiety and related hormones during a diet relatively high in protein (HP), exchanged with carbohydrate compared to an adequate-protein (AP) diet, in a respiration chamber in men, in comparison with previous outcomes in women. Design Ten healthy males (BMI: 22.5 ± 1.6 kg/m2 , age: 25 ± 3.5 y) were fed in energy balance with an AP (10/60/30% of energy of protein/carbohydrate/fat) or a HP (30/40/30% of energy of protein/carbohydrate/fat) diet in a randomized cross-over design. Results During the HP diet, 24 h Energy Expenditure (10.5 ± 0.5 vs 10.0 ± 0.5 MJ/d; p < 0.05), Sleeping Energy Expenditure (7.1 ± 0.3 vs 6.9 ± 0.2 MJ/d; p < 0.05), protein balance (0.5 ± 0.02 vs 0.0 ± 0.01 MJ/d; p < 0.05), satiety (AUC) p < 0.05, and plasma GLP-1 concentrations (42 ± 23 vs 28 ± 16 AUC; p < 0.005) were significantly higher and 24 h RQ (0.80 vs 0.85; p < 0.01), fat balance (− 0.85 ±0.03 vs 0.05 vs 0.03 MJ/d; p < 0.01) and hunger (AUC) p < 0.05, were significantly lower. Comparisons reveal a stronger reaction in men in energy expenditure and substrate oxidation, whereas satiety reacted stronger in the women. Conclusions Effects of a diet relatively high in protein exchanged with carbohydrate, vs an adequate protein diet are a stronger increased energy expenditure, fat oxidation, protein anabolism in men, and a stronger increased satiety in women, thereby creating sex-specific conditions for long-term use for body-weight management.