Nutritional Supplement

Pea Protein for Weight Control

Pea Protein
  • Heart and Circulatory Health

    Hypertension

    Pea protein may help reduce blood pressure.
    Hypertension
    ×
    Pea protein is high in arginine, an amino acid that promotes relaxation of blood vessel walls.4,5 In addition, there is evidence that peptides produced during hydrolysis or digestion of pea protein could have blood pressure-lowering effects.6 Taking a combination protein isolate supplement made from pea, soy, egg, and milk, at a dose of 20 grams three times per day for four weeks, was found to lower high blood pressure more than the placebo in a controlled trial that enrolled 99 participants with high blood pressure.7 In a small, three-week, placebo-controlled, crossover trial (in which subjects participate in both the treatment and placebo phases, in random order) with seven hypertensive participants, hydrolyzed pea protein reduced systolic blood pressure by 6 mmHg.8

    Cardiovascular Disease

    Pea protein might help prevent cardiovascular disease by lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
    Cardiovascular Disease
    ×
    A pea protein supplement lowered cholesterol and triglyceride levels more than casein protein in rats.9 Whether pea protein has the same effect in humans is not yet known.
  • Weight Management

    Obesity

    Pea protein, like other proteins, may support weight loss by curbing appetite and improving metabolic health.
    Obesity
    ×
    Researchers have found plant-based protein supplements can help reduce appetite and improve blood glucose control, support cardiovascular health, and may help promote weight loss while preserving muscle mass.10 Protein supplementation has been shown to increase fullness and reduce appetite, and pea protein appears to preform equally to whey and milk protein in this regard in studies in healthy adults.11,12,13 Compared to whey protein and milk protein, 15 grams of pea protein daily was found to be better at inducing satiety (a sense of fullness) in overweight people.14
  • Fitness

    Athletic Performance

    Pea protein may help build muscle and help athletes recover after exercise.
    Athletic Performance
    ×
    Pea protein is a good source of branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine),15 which are needed for muscle building and repair.16 Researchers have found that the amino acids in hydrolyzed protein supplements are highly available for muscle repair after muscle fiber damaging exercise and other causes of muscle injury.17 Some, but not all, studies show that protein supplements may help athletes by reducing soreness and speeding recovery after exercise, and increasing muscle mass gains.18 Whether pea protein has advantages over other protein supplements for athletes has not yet been determined.
  • Healthy Aging/Senior Health

    Cardiovascular Disease

    Pea protein might help prevent cardiovascular disease by lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
    Cardiovascular Disease
    ×
    A pea protein supplement lowered cholesterol and triglyceride levels more than casein protein in rats.19 Whether pea protein has the same effect in humans is not yet known.
What Are Star Ratings?
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Reliable and relatively consistent scientific data showing a substantial health benefit.
Contradictory, insufficient, or preliminary studies suggesting a health benefit or minimal health benefit.
For an herb, supported by traditional use but minimal or no scientific evidence. For a supplement, little scientific support.

Our proprietary “Star-Rating” system was developed to help you easily understand the amount of scientific support behind each supplement in relation to a specific health condition. While there is no way to predict whether a vitamin, mineral, or herb will successfully treat or prevent associated health conditions, our unique ratings tell you how well these supplements are understood by the medical community, and whether studies have found them to be effective for other people.

For over a decade, our team has combed through thousands of research articles published in reputable journals. To help you make educated decisions, and to better understand controversial or confusing supplements, our medical experts have digested the science into these three easy-to-follow ratings. We hope this provides you with a helpful resource to make informed decisions towards your health and well-being.

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References

1. Bernhisel-Bradbent J, Taylor S, Sampson H. Cross-allergenicity in the legume botanical family in children with food hypersensitivity. II. Laboratory correlates. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1989;84:701-9.

2. Hasan M, Mannan A, Alam R, et al. A Computational analysis on Lectin and Histone H1 protein of different pulse species as well as comparative study with rice for balanced diet. Bioinformation 2012;8:196-200. doi: 10.6026/97320630008196. Epub 2012 Feb 28.

3. Murata K, Nishikaze M, Tanaka M. Nutritional quality of rice protein compared with whole egg protein. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 1977;23:125-31.

4. Teunissen-Beekman KF, Dopheide J,Geleijnse JM, et al. Dietary proteins improve endothelial function under fasting conditions but not in the postprandial state, with no effects on markers of low-grade inflammation. Br J Nutr 2015;114:1819–28.

5. Teunissen-Beekman KF, Dopheide J,Geleijnse JM, et al. Differential effects of proteins and carbohydrates on postprandial blood pressure-related responses. Br J Nutr 2014;112:600–8.

6. Dugardin C, Cudennec B, Tourret M, et al. Explorative Screening of Bioactivities Generated by Plant-Based Proteins after In Vitro Static Gastrointestinal Digestion. Nutrients 2020;12:3746.

7. Teunissen-Beekman K, Dopheide J, Geleijnse J, et al. Protein supplementation lowers blood pressure in overweight adults: effect of dietary proteins on blood pressure (PROPRES), a randomized trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2012;95:966–71.

8. Li H, PrairieN, Udenigwe C, et al. Blood pressure lowering effect of a pea protein hydrolysate in hypertensive rats and humans. J Agric Food Chem 2011;59:9854–60.

9. Rigamonti E, Parolini C, Marchesi M, et al. Hypolipidemic effect of dietary pea proteins: Impact on genes regulating hepatic lipid metabolism. Mol Nutr Food Res 2010;54 Suppl 1:S24-30. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200900251.

10. Lonnie M, Laurie I, Myers M, et al. Exploring Health-Promoting Attributes of Plant Proteins as a Functional Ingredient for the Food Sector: A Systematic Review of Human Interventional Studies. Nutrients 2020 Jul;12(8):E2291.

11. Hawley AL, Gbur E, Tacinelli AM, et al. The Short-Term Effect of Whey Compared with Pea Protein on Appetite, Food Intake, and Energy Expenditure in Young and Older Men. Curr Dev Nutr 2020 Feb;4(2):nzaa009.

12. Dougkas A, Östman E. Comparable effects of breakfast meals varying in protein source on appetite and subsequent energy intake in healthy males. Eur J Nutr 2018 Apr;57(3):1097–1108.

13. Nielsen LV, Kristensen MD, Klingenberg L, et al. Protein from Meat or Vegetable Sources in Meals Matched for Fiber Content has Similar Effects on Subjective Appetite Sensations and Energy Intake-A Randomized Acute Cross-Over Meal Test Study. Nutrients 2018 Jan;10(1):96.

14. Diepvens K, Haberer D, Westerterp-Plantenga M. Different proteins and biopeptides differently affect satiety and anorexigenic/orexigenic hormones in healthy humans. Int J Obes 2008;32:510-8. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0803758. Epub 2007 Nov 27.

15. Rubio L, Perez A, Ruiz R, et al. Characterization of pea (Pisum sativum) seed protein fractions. J Sci Food Agric 2014;94:280-7. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.6250. Epub 2013 Jul 8.

16. Phillips S, Van Loon, L. Dietary protein for athletes: from requirements to optimum adaptation. J Sports Sci 2011;29 Suppl 1:S29-38. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2011.619204. [review]

17. Thomson R, Buckley J. Protein hydrolysates and tissue repair. Nutr Res Rev 2011;24:191-7. doi: 10.1017/S0954422411000084. Epub 2011 Nov 21. [review]

18. McLellan T. Protein supplementation for military personnel: a review of the mechanisms and performance outcomes. J Nutr 2013;143:1820S-1833S. doi: 10.3945/jn.113.176313. Epub 2013 Sep 11. [review]

19. Rigamonti E, Parolini C, Marchesi M, et al. Hypolipidemic effect of dietary pea proteins: Impact on genes regulating hepatic lipid metabolism. Mol Nutr Food Res 2010;54 Suppl 1:S24-30. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200900251.

20. Ibanez M, Martinez M, Sanchez J, Fernandez-Caldas E. Legme cross-reactivity. Allergol Immunopathol 2003;31:151-61. [in Spanish]

21. Fredrikson M, Biot P, Alminger M, et al. Production process for high-quality pea-protein isolate with low content of oligosaccharides and phytate. J Agric Food Chem 2001;49:1208-12.

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The information presented by TraceGains is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2024.