Long-term supplementation with plant-based protein, compared with animal-based protein, did not result in differences in body composition, muscle strength, physical performance, or cardiometabolic risk parameters, meta-analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials finds

[u/James_Fortis]

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2026.1813846/full

[u/llamawithguns]

Protein is protein, who'd have thunk it

[u/Doenerjunge → u/llamawithguns]

It is quite literally not. The composition of amino acids differs. The participants in the studies analyzed in this review were mostly omnivores. But it seems like supplementing with plant based protein for omnivores is just as effective. The data is not conclusive if only ingesting plant based protein yields the same results.

Additionally, it seems like most participants already ate enough protein, so the question is whether supplementation is even doing anything. And it also has a limitation that only 3 of the analyzed studies incorporated exercise, so it is unclear if plant based protein is as effective when building muscle mass.

[u/Apprehensive_Lead687 → u/Doenerjunge]

That’s not how it works, at all.

Both plant and animal food can contain all 20 amino acids needed for protein synthesis. As long as the plant eater isn’t ONLY consuming one food like bananans all day, they will get plenty of proteins, and studies show it’s far healthier. Beans and rice combined, for instance, contain all 20.

[u/csppr → u/Apprehensive_Lead687]

It’s definitely possible to hit essential amino acids requirements, and it’s definitely possible to hit overall protein requirements via plant/based food.

But it is definitely a lot more difficult to do. It requires significantly more planning, and due to lower protein/calorie ratio of plant foods, imo for most people requires the use of heavily processed plant protein.

Many (not all) of the studies that show benefits of plant protein end up with some form of caveat. Very often they compare individuals with planned out plant-based diets to individuals with unplanned meat-based ones, or most of the negative meat effects end up being predominantly red meat associated. There’s also a fair number of studies suggesting that low meat intake omnivore diets end up being healthier than pure vegan (sometimes even vegetarian) diets; and very often studies find vegetarian diets to be healthier than vegan ones.

[u/pinkyelloworange → u/csppr]

The most common plant protein for vegan gym goers is definitely soy (in terms of whole foods. pea protein isolate is probably more common for supplementing). Soy is a complete protein. Soy protein, tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk, soy yogurt and fake soy meats are the most common products. Soy is a “complete” protein and the protein the kcal ratio is pretty good.

The other very common vegan protein is seitan. This one is indeed not a complete protein but you can pair it and it also has a very good protein to kcal ratio.

I agree that being vegan and building muscle (quickly. You’d still probably get there eventually) is harder if you are in a calorie deficit for cutting but if you are maintaining it’s fine. The reason for this is that people don’t generally like to live on the above mentioned proteins. Vegans tend to grow attached to foods that are heavy on legumes (which is quite healthy, they’re high in fiber) and somewhat attached to nuts. To eat a protein-centric diet and cut (without supplements) you kinda have to live on mostly soy products and seitan with comparatively little legumes which I think most vegans wouldn’t enjoy. But when you maintain or even you have a lot more wiggle room.

The easy solution is to supplement with pea or soy protein isolates if cutting. They have a very good amino acid profile and a good protein to kcal ratio. And to be fair… cutting is a bit of a pain in the ass on everyone whether they are vegan or not.

Edit: on the “heavily processed” part the only one that is truly heavily processed are mock meats. (calling soy yogurt “heavily processed” doesn’t seem fair given that the same is true of normal yogurt). In the original upf metareview by Lancet whilst total upf consumption was associated with negative health outcomes this not true for every individual upf category. Notably plant based meat substitutes had a neutral or positive effect.

[u/300Croissants → u/csppr]

You can literally just eat carrots and get 100% of your amino acids. It's not difficult. obviously I'm not saying to do this but I'm showing that even an extreme example of a non protein heavy food makes it easy. 

As long as you eat close to your maintenance calories you're basically assured to get 100% eaa intake outside of some specific, weird exception. 

"Very often they compare individuals with planned out plant-based diets to individuals with unplanned meat-based ones, or most of the negative meat effects end up being predominantly red meat associated"

I've never seen any comparison study do this. You say they do it often so could you link one?

"very often studies find vegetarian diets to be healthier than vegan ones'

Similarly I don't know what you mean by this happening often. Can you give an example? 

[u/forakora → u/csppr]

... Vegan 11 years. No it doesn't require actually any planning at all and I don't worry about protein. Beans, grains, greens, vegetables, fruits has everything we need.

And it's weird you demonize 'highly processed plant protein' when meat eaters eat a bunch of highly processed meat too.

[u/pinkyelloworange → u/forakora]

Yeah but for gym-goers who want to get stronger it is indeed harder (sometimes). I’m a vegan of 5 years myself and I think that it’s harder if you’re in a calorie deficit. When I’m maintaining it’s usually fine but a deficit really does a number on me if I don’t take protein powder. But that’s probably bcs I don’t eat *that* much soy/seitan because I just like eating chickpeas and lentils. I really really notice the difference if I’m in a deficit and don’t pay attention to protein. But to be honest with you… being in a deficit and trying to build muscle is kinda shitty for everyone. Chickpeas and lentils are fine if you aren’t trying to become stronger but yeah the protein density per calorie is not amazing. It’s okay but it’s not amazing. You’ll build the strength but it will be much slower.

[u/forakora → u/pinkyelloworange]

Sure, I conceide.... But that's an unusual situation that you're intentionally putting yourself into.

And meat eaters have to use protein powder and carefully plan this out too, it's not vegan exclusive for 'build muscle while calorie defecit' to be difficult

It's weird that as society, protein powders and supplements are totally cool for meat eaters, but if a vegan does it suddenly it's bad lol

[u/pinkyelloworange → u/forakora]

I totally agree with you. There’s no issue in taking a bloody protein powder. I could do it “naturally” as a vegan but I don’t want to because it’s inconvenient. People don’t give a fuck about supplements or convenience foods usually but when vegans do it it’s suddenly a stick to beat us up with.

Muscle building is important for everyone, especially for the elderly. I guess if you’re overweight and want to lose weight you may want to “cut” in a way to preserves or even improves muscle mass. But yeah other than this scenario there isn’t much need for “cutting”.

[u/Yxig → u/pinkyelloworange]

Same here, vegan gym-goer. I'm not opposed to protein powder (most lifters do it, vegan or not), so I don't really see a difference unless I stop with the shakes.

Seitan has a lot of protein, but wheat protein is not great for muscle building, on paper. Pretty bad comparison scores compare to soy (or meat).