Macro partitioning
Completely plant-based diets scaled to meet the high caloric demands of resistance training provide sufficient protein (1.8 g/kg/day) and leucine (2.75 g/meal) to maximize muscle hypertrophy and strength in male bodybuilders without the need for protein supplements.
If you are a male bodybuilder doing resistance training, you do not need protein supplements to build maximum muscle if you eat a whole-food, plant-based diet. Simply eat enough calories to support your training volume (a caloric surplus). This will naturally provide enough protein (approx 1.8g per kg of body weight) and leucine (approx 2.75g per meal) to maximize muscle growth. Focus on legumes, grains, and nuts to hit these numbers.
Modeled intakes for nutrients of interest were calculated as 1.8 g/kg/day of protein and 2.75 g/meal of leucine, which surpass mean requirements for maximal increases in muscle mass and strength and muscle protein synthesis, respectively.
Why this rating
This is a modeling study based on secondary data (AHS-2 cohort) and predictive equations, not a randomized controlled trial with direct hypertrophy outcomes.
Source
Completely Plant-Based Diets That Meet Energy Requirements for Resistance Training Can Supply Enough Protein and Leucine to Maximize Hypertrophy and Strength in Male Bodybuilders: A Modeling Study
David Goldman et al. · Nutrients · 2024
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