title: Effect of low-calorie diets on plasma retinol-binding protein concentrations in overweight women.
abstract: The concentrations of total protein, albumin and retinol-binding protein, a major transport protein for vitamin A, are significantly decreased by protein-calorie malnutrition. Weight-loss diets, sometimes involving severe energy deficits over prolonged periods of time, are common in the United States. The effect, if any, of prolonged low calorie weight-loss diets with normal intakes of protein on albumin, total protein and retinol-binding protein concentrations (and potentially on vitamin A metabolism) had not been extensively studied. We measured total protein, albumin, apo + holo retinol-binding protein and holo-free- and holo-transthyretin-bound retinol-binding protein concentrations during the course of a nutritionally adequate weight-loss diet (50% calorie restriction). We found that this type of dieting did not affect total protein, albumin or apo + holo, holo-free or holo-transthretin-bound retinol-binding protein concentrations significantly. This suggests that protein intake is more critical than caloric intake for retinol-binding protein status.
authors.affiliation: Western Human Nutrition Research Center, USDA/ARS/PWA, Presidio of San Francisco, CA 94129, USA.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Burri
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Neidlinger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Loan
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Keim