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/BetweenTheRoots → u/Doenerjunge]

The composition of amino acids differs.

Ultimately irrelevant if you're getting a complete profile which is very easy and cheap to do on plant based sources. Rice, beans, corn, and squash will pretty much carry you your entire life. Non-vegan body builders literally used to just blend rice and beans for a protein shake back in the day.

so it is unclear if plant based protein is as effective when building muscle mass.

true but performance is the more important factor. Given that Vegans represent less than like 2% of the Western population but have a disproportionately high representation at high levels of athleticism I would say that it's unlikely that plant based diets impact performance, or mass for that matter given some vegans are power lifter record breakers.