Gelatine in a high-protein diet and weight maintenance
What it found
In 65 people who had lost weight, a diet with gelatine and milk protein did not keep weight off any better than milk protein alone over 4 months.
All three diets helped people avoid regaining weight.
What they found
Studies in people
Weight and BMI
Changes in body weight and BMI were similar between the gelatine-milk protein group and both milk protein groups. No group regained significant weight over the 4 months.
Body composition
Increases in fat free mass percentage and decreases in fat mass percentage from weeks 8 to 16 were similar across all three diets, and these improvements were maintained from weeks 16 to 24.
Appetite and hunger
Scores for satiety, fullness, hunger, and desire to eat did not change over time in any group, and were not different between the gelatine diet and the milk protein diets.
Blood measures
Changes in blood levels of GLP-1, PYY, insulin, glucose, creatinine, HDL, LDL, TAG, and free fatty acids were similar between the gelatine diet and both control diets.
Energy expenditure
Resting energy expenditure as a function of fat free mass did not change significantly from weeks 8 to 16 in any group, and was not different between the gelatine diet and the milk protein diets.
What the authors conclude
“In conclusion, all 3 diets resulted in a successful WM period, while a GMP diet does not improve body weight maintenance and related variables after weight loss compared with a SMP and SSMP diet.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that a supra-sustained gelatine-milk protein diet did not induce more beneficial effects on body weight maintenance and related variables during a 4-months weight maintenance period after weight loss compared with a sustained and supra-sustained milk protein diet.
- They state that for successful weight maintenance, a sustained milk protein diet is sufficient, while addition of gelatin has no additional effects on weight maintenance.
How it was done
Short-term studies had shown that gelatine suppressed hunger more and led to less energy intake than other proteins. The authors wanted to see if adding gelatine to a milk protein diet would help people maintain their weight after weight loss.
Sixty-five healthy people with a BMI of 28.6 on average, aged 44 on average, first lost weight for 8 weeks. They were then randomly assigned to one of three diets for 4 months: a sustained milk protein diet, a supra-sustained milk protein diet, or a supra-sustained gelatine-milk protein diet. Protein intake was kept constant for each person, and body weight, body composition, appetite, and blood measures were checked at the start, after 2 months, and after 4 months.
What it can’t tell you
- This trial lasted 4 months, so it cannot show what would happen over a longer period.
- The study did not test gelatine alone as the only protein, because gelatine is an incomplete protein and cannot be used as a single protein source in a long-term diet.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Maastricht University Medical Centre+, The Netherlands
The paper
- Title
- No long-term weight maintenance effects of gelatin in a supra-sustained protein diet
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Hochstenbach-Waelen A, Westerterp KR, Soenen S, Westerterp-Plantenga MS (2010). No long-term weight maintenance effects of gelatin in a supra-sustained protein diet. Physiology & behavior. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.05.005Free full textPubMed 20457173DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error