Protein-Rich Diet and Human Health
A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Proteins and Amino Acids".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 May 2026 | Viewed by 26
Special Issue Editor
Interests: physical activity as therapy in metabolic diseases; sports biochemistry; exercise immunology; sports nutrition; high-protein diet
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The range of products advertised as containing “protein” is constantly growing. These products are aimed not only at athletes, but also at health-conscious adults. Foods may be labelled “high protein” if at least 20% of their energy content consists of protein. A “protein-rich diet”, on the other hand, is one in which 40% or more of the daily calorie intake comes from protein.
There is no doubt about the vital importance of protein as a nutrient. Accordingly, the WHO and national professional organizations currently recommend a protein intake of 0.8 g/kg body weight/day for adults between the ages of 19 and 65 and 1.0 g/kg body weight/day as a reference value for those aged 65 and over. The role of protein in relation to kidney disease has been researched for decades. However, current reviews show that although increased protein intake triggers physiological and regulatory responses in kidney function, it does not trigger patho-metabolic reactions. On the other hand, the importance of protein intake for building and maintaining muscle mass is well established.
So there seem to be only advantages to food companies in wealthy countries currently advertising with terms such as “protein-rich” and “high-protein diet”. However, this has a long tradition. As early as 1890, the Tropon company used the artist Van de Velde to advertise its product, an egg-based protein extract, in the language of Art Nouveau. And in 1958, scientists Kraut H. and Müller E.A. published their findings from the first controlled study on the effects of protein intake on strength training.
The open question of the extent to which a protein-rich diet brings not only immediate but also long-term health benefits seems to be important not only for wealthy OECD countries but even more so for low- and middle-income countries, as the sustainability of health care is affected by this—a justification for the decision of the Nutrients Editorial Board to find answers to this question in a Special Issue.
Prof. Dr. Aloys Berg
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- dietary protein
- protein-rich diet
- kidney disease
- body composition
- muscle mass prevention
- bioactive peptides
- satiety
- diet during cancer therapy
- diet for elderly women
- quality of life
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