The Claim
A severe negative energy balance of approximately 70% (−1849 ± 511 kcal/d) sustained for 21 days at an altitude of 4300 meters causes a loss of 3.6 ± 2.4 kg of fat-free mass in healthy adult males aged 23 ± 6 years, regardless of whether dietary protein intake is standardized at 1.0 g/kg or increased to 2.0 g/kg per day.
What the research says
Supports is higher
Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.
These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.
When healthy adult men at high altitude consume significantly fewer calories than they burn for three weeks, they lose about 3.6 kilograms of lean body mass, whether they eat 1.0 or 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily.
See the scientific wording
Severe negative energy balance of approximately 70% (−1849 ± 511 kcal/d) sustained for 21 days at an altitude of 4300 meters causes a loss of 3.6 ± 2.4 kg of fat-free mass in healthy adult males aged 23 ± 6 years, regardless of whether dietary protein intake is standardized at 1.0 g/kg or increased to 2.0 g/kg per day.
What the research says
1 studyEven if men ate twice as much protein while at high altitude and eating far fewer calories, they still lost the same amount of muscle — meaning more protein didn’t help protect their muscles in this extreme situation.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.