Research

Hormonal

Higher-quality protein sources (e.g., whey, milk) produce a significantly greater acute muscle protein synthesis (MPS) response than lower-quality sources (e.g., soy, wheat, casein) when matched for dose, both at rest and following resistance exercise.

If you are trying to maximize muscle growth, prioritize high-quality protein sources like whey, milk, eggs, or meat over lower-quality plant proteins (like wheat or soy) when possible. This is especially relevant for older adults who may experience 'anabolic resistance.' However, this is a small effect; hitting your total daily protein target is still the most important factor.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Analysis revealed an effect favoring higher-quality protein for postprandial MPS at rest [mean difference (MD): 0.014%/h; 95% CI: 0.006, 0.021; P < 0.001] and following RE (MD: 0.022%/h; 95% CI: 0.014, 0.030; P < 0.00001) in young... and older... adults.
Paul T. Morgan et al. · Journal of Nutrition · 2021

Why this rating

Systematic review and meta-analysis of 27 studies with dose-matched comparisons.

Source

Protein Source and Quality for Skeletal Muscle Anabolism in Young and Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Paul T. Morgan et al. · Journal of Nutrition · 2021

DOI 10.1093/jn/nxab055

Meta-analysis · 27 studiesCited 49×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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