When it comes to building muscle, plant protein has long been considered inferior to that from animals. But we’re learning that this might not be the case, which is good news for the plant-based folk on the gym floor.
For the study, published in The Journal of Nutrition, healthy younger males consumed 30 grams of milk-derived protein. In another session, the 30 g of protein was made from a blend of wheat, corn and peas. Blood and muscle biopsies were collected frequently during the 5 hours after consumption to assess plasma amino acid profiles and muscle protein synthesis rates (i.e., muscle growth).
While the milk protein increased plasma essential amino acid concentrations—including leucine—more than the plant protein blend, there were no statistically significant differences in muscle fiber protein synthesis rates among participants. Both proteins elevated muscle protein growth to about the same degree. A key here was the use of a blend of plant-based proteins to deliver a more balanced amino acid profile.
Now what is needed are investigations that compare whole foods from each spectrum and not just isolated proteins. For instance, when it comes to making muscle, does 30 g of protein from chicken breast differ from 30 g of protein from tofu? There’s still a lot left to learn.
See also: Plant Protein for Muscle Growth
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