Does eating meat build more muscle than eating plants? The study doesn’t say

Plant-based protein helps build muscle during resistance training as much as an omnivore diet, according to a published study Journal of Nutrition.

The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Exeter and the University of Texas Medical Branch in the United Kingdom, aimed to determine whether a vegetarian diet could support resistance training to the same extent as an omnivorous diet.

For the first phase of the study, 16 healthy female and male young adults completed a three-day diet in which protein was obtained from either omnivorous or exclusively non-animal sources along with daily unilateral leg resistance exercise.

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In the second phase, 22 healthy female and male young adults completed a 10-week, high-volume (five days per week) progressive resistance exercise program while consuming an omnivorous or non-animal-derived high-protein diet.

Muscle mass was assessed before, during and after the phase and the results showed that both groups had similar results. Young adults who followed a plant-based diet showed no significant differences in muscle volume, muscle strength, or muscle fiber size when compared to those who ate an omnivorous diet during training.

The researchers concluded that young adults who consumed a high-protein diet, regardless of whether the protein source was vegan or animal-based, showed a similar response in muscle building during training.

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“Both teams have grown [the] Strength of multiple muscle groups to a comparable degree,” the study states. Therefore, a high-protein vegetarian diet is as effective as a non-vegan diet for optimal skeletal muscle development during intense training.”

Plant protein for muscle building

This research builds on the growing evidence of plant-based protein’s effectiveness in building muscle. Another study published last year found that men who consumed enough plant-based protein with soy supplements could build muscle mass as well as those who consumed animal products and whey protein powder.

The research is published in the scientific journal sports medicine, which aimed to identify the effect of dietary protein source (exclusively plant-based vs. mixed omnivorous diet) on changes in muscle mass and strength in healthy young men undergoing strength training. enrolled 38 men in a supervised weight-training program consisting of two weekly training sessions for three months.

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Studies have shown that a plant-based diet composed of whole foods and soy protein supplements is just as effective as an omnivorous diet composed of mixed whole foods and whey protein supplements in supporting muscle-building and strength.

“A high-protein, exclusively plant-based diet (plant-based whole foods and soy protein isolate supplements) is no different than a protein-combined mixed diet (mixed whole foods and whey protein supplements) in supporting muscle strength and mass gain, suggesting that protein source does not influence resistance training-induced adaptations in untrained youth consuming adequate amounts of protein,” the researchers concluded.

Is whey protein best for muscle conditioning?

Another recent study that compared fava beans with milk protein found that fava bean peptides work better than milk protein in muscle conditioning. While previous studies have focused on the potential of animal-derived peptides from sources such as creatine, whey, and collagen, this study aimed to compare the effectiveness of plant-based peptides from fava beans and milk protein supplements for reducing muscle mass and strength during exercise. and recovery.

The research has been published in Scientific Publications Journal of NutritionNo differences were observed between fava bean or milk protein supplementation for muscle size and strength loss during short-term immobilization or muscle size and strength recovery during subsequent rehabilitation.

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However, fava bean supplementation resulted in a significantly higher rate of muscle protein synthesis during the recovery period when compared to milk protein supplementation.

And yet another study found that potato protein can be as effective as animal-derived milk in building muscle. Published in scientific journals Medicine and Science in Sports and ExerciseStudies hypothesize that potato protein and animal milk protein share a very similar amino acid composition that both may have similar effects on muscle protein synthesis, or the way the body converts amino acids into skeletal muscle protein.

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After conducting a double-blind study involving 24 healthy men between the ages of 18 and 35, the researchers found that both protein sources were comparable in their effects on muscle protein synthesis.

“Ingestion of 30 grams of potato protein concentrate increases rates of muscle protein synthesis at rest and during recovery from exercise in healthy, young men,” the study concluded. “The rate of muscle protein synthesis after consuming 30 grams of potato protein is not different from the rate observed after consuming an equivalent amount of milk protein.”

Nicole Axworthy is news editor and cookbook author for VegNews DIY Vegan.