Research
Macro partitioning
Higher total dietary protein intake is positively associated with greater grip strength in adults aged 19+ years, with animal protein showing a stronger association than plant protein.
To support muscle strength, aim for higher total protein intake, prioritizing animal sources like dairy, meat, and eggs, especially if you are over 50. Plant proteins help, but animal proteins seem to offer a stronger boost to grip strength.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Grip strength increased (p < 0.05) with increasing quartiles of TP, AP, PP, and leucine among all adults 19 + years... however, the increase was more pronounced for AP than PP.
Why this rating
Observational cross-sectional data from NHANES; establishes association but not causation.
Source
Association of Dietary Protein Intake and Grip Strength Among Adults Aged 19+ Years: NHANES 2011–2014 Analysis
Matthew A. Pikosky et al. · Frontiers in Nutrition · 2022
DOI 10.3389/fnut.2022.873512
cross_sectional · n=9214Cited 22×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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