Macro partitioning
Blending multiple plant protein sources or fortifying them with essential amino acids (specifically leucine) can improve their anabolic quality to match animal proteins.
To get the most out of plant protein, choose products that are either 'blended' (e.g., pea and rice protein mixed) or 'fortified' with leucine. This ensures you get all the essential amino acids needed for muscle building, making them just as effective as animal proteins without needing to eat huge amounts.
Increasing the quality of protein intake by improving amino acid composition could also compensate for the lower anabolic potential of plant-based proteins
Why this rating
Supported by specific studies (Norton et al., Banaszek et al.) showing equivalence when quality is matched.
Source
The Role of the Anabolic Properties of Plant- versus Animal-Based Protein Sources in Supporting Muscle Mass Maintenance: A Critical Review
Insaf Berrazaga et al. · Nutrients · 2019
DOI 10.3390/nu11081825
More from this paper
- Animal-based proteins stimulate muscle protein synthesis and support muscle mass more effectively than plant-based proteins due to higher digestibility, superior essential amino acid profiles (particularly leucine), and lower amino acid oxidation.Good
- Increasing the quantity of plant-based protein intake (specifically >30g per meal) can compensate for its lower anabolic quality and stimulate muscle protein synthesis rates comparable to lower doses of animal proteins.Good
Related findings · Macro partitioning
- Total daily protein intake of 1.6 g/kg/day is sufficient for maximizing resistance training-induced muscle gains, with an upper confidence interval of 2.2 g/kg/day.Strong
- Resistance exercise training combined with sufficient dietary protein intake acts synergistically to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with protein intake saturating around 1.6 g/kg/day for general populations and potentially requiring 2.0-2.2 g/kg/day for resistance-trained individuals.Strong
- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
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