Even if your body burns 25% of protein calories digesting it, you still store or use 75% of them as energy.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Community contributions welcome
Diet induced thermogenesis
The study says eating protein makes your body burn more calories just to digest it — about 20-30% of its energy — which matches the claim that roughly 25% of protein’s calories are lost as heat.
Contradicting (3)
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Effects of Varying Protein Amounts and Types on Diet-Induced Thermogenesis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
The study shows that how much energy your body burns digesting protein changes depending on how much you eat and whether you're overweight — it’s not always 25%. So the claim that it’s always 25% is too simple and wrong.
Postprandial Thermogenesis Is Increased 100% on a High-Protein, Low-Fat Diet versus a High-Carbohydrate, Low-Fat Diet in Healthy, Young Women
The study found that eating more protein makes your body burn more calories digesting it, but it didn’t measure exactly how many calories from protein are actually used by your body versus lost as heat, so we can’t say if the 75/25 claim is right.
The Effects of High Protein Diets on Thermogenesis, Satiety and Weight Loss: A Critical Review
The study says eating more protein makes your body burn more calories during digestion, but it doesn’t say exactly how many—so we can’t tell if the claim that 25% of protein calories are burned off is right or wrong.