Vegan Protein Powder for Muscle Gain: Does It Work?

Play a word association game with the word “vegetarian,” and the word “healthy” may come up very quickly. “Muscular” may not be. But that may change, and sooner than you think. As plant-based lifestyles become more popular with more Americans, Plant protein powders Derived from plant sources such as PeasRice, soy, and hemp are becoming increasingly popular for exercise recovery.

They are not just diluted substitutes for wheyattractive only to those who abstain from eating animal products. Research has shown Plant protein can produce results similar to other types of protein. Here’s what you should know about plant-based protein powder for muscle gain.

Can you build muscle with plant-based protein powder?

You can build muscle entirely with plant-based protein powder. study Published in Journal of the International Society of Sports Medicine I found that rice and whey protein produced similar results for body composition and performance. and Pea protein has also been found Being very effective compared to placebo (and on par with whey).

Just like whey, it can contain plant protein Branched chain amino acids (branched-chain amino acids), a class of protein building blocks important for muscles and the heart. However, among the three BCAAs, Lucine It appears to be particularly important for muscle building.

As such, Recommended by the International Society of Sports Nutrition Protein sources rich in leucine (such as whey protein and pea protein) which provide a balanced range of essential amino acids (EAAs).

Whey protein is known for being a… Complete proteincontaining sufficient quantities of nine In EAA. Although most plant protein sources are not complete on their own, you can combine pea protein with other plant proteins to get a healthy diet A more complete amino acid profilesuggests Kelly Jones, MS, RD, CSSD, LDNa certified sports nutritionist in Newtown, Pennsylvania

To build muscle on a plant-based diet, Jones recommends starting with 1.8 grams of protein per kg (2.2 pounds) of your protein weight per day and adding 10 percent to that number in grams. Why add 10 percent?

“This is because the bioavailability of many plant sources of protein is lower than animal sources,” says Jones. This means You can digest and absorb a slightly smaller amount Amino acid content in plant foods compared to animal protein.

Does plant protein work better than whey for muscle gain?

Although studies suggest that plant-based protein powder can be just as effective as animal protein, there is no conclusive evidence that plant-based protein is effective. better For wrapping on muscles.

Both whey and plant-based protein powders provide protein to help you refuel Muscle repair After exercise. When choosing between them, it mostly comes down to personal preferences, including dietary choices and allergies.

No matter which protein powder you choose, don’t expect it to do more than its share of the work.

“Protein shake “This is not going to be what makes or breaks your results,” says Jones. “At the end of the day, everything will work out Total protein And energy consumption, as well as the timing of protein intake.

There is still more to the equation.

“Eat enough calories, especially from Carbohydrates“It’s important to boost your workout and maintain high intensity during workouts,” she adds.

But you may find plant protein better than animal protein if whey or casein It tends to upset your stomach, of course, if you follow a vegetarian diet.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.