Plant-based protein blends can match whey for muscle recovery

New research reveals the exact protein blends and doses that help plant-based athletes recover like those using whey, but warns that some plant proteins still fall short.

Study: Effect of Plant-Based Proteins on Recovery from Resistance Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Healthy Young Adults—A Systematic Review. Image credit: Josep Suria/Shutterstok.com

Scientists have systematically reviewed the available literature to assess the effectiveness of plant-based proteins in recovering muscle damage induced by resistance exercise in healthy young adults. This review is published in Nutrients.

Protein intake among athletes

Protein intake is essential among athletes because it facilitates muscle repair and stimulates recovery. Animal proteins (e.g., whey), rich in essential amino acids, particularly leucine, have gained popularity for their role in inducing muscle protein synthesis (MPS).

Previous studies have documented the potential health benefits of plant-based proteins in reducing the risk of cardiometabolic diseases and promoting blood glucose regulation. Considering its benefits, scientists have focused on exploring its potential in improving athletic performance and recovery.

Recently, scientists have documented a rapid shift towards plant-based eating in the athletic dietary landscape, due to various environmental, ethical, and health-related considerations. In addition, athletes who follow a vegan diet consciously avoid all animal products and solely rely on plant-based protein sources.

Since plants offer a different amino acid profile than animals, it is essential to understand whether plant-based proteins offer similar support in repairing muscle damage incurred from resistance training. Previous studies have shown that more plant-based protein consumption can fulfill the leucine and total protein requirements.

Many athletes perform resistance exercises for general fitness, which can induce muscle damage, primarily from eccentric contractions. These exercises promote delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), making them an ideal model to study muscle damage from eccentric and non-eccentric resistance exercise contexts and their recovery. Although plant-based diets have gained significant popularity worldwide, limited studies examine their effects specifically in vegan athletes, and evidence is scarce.

About the review

The current review evaluated the existing evidence on the effect of plant-based proteins in muscle recovery after resistance training. The study included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomized trials, and crossover studies published in English. All relevant studies were obtained from electronic databases, such as Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ProQuest, Web of Science, Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, and Embase. Although vegan athletes were part of the eligibility criteria, only one study exclusively investigated the group.

Healthy young adults between 18 and 44, including vegan athletes, who engaged in resistance training, were included. All participants consume plant-based proteins (e.g., rice, soy, pea, cocoa, hemp, or blends), as acute or chronic supplements in quantified doses. These supplements were consumed before, during, or after resistance training. The efficacy of plant-based proteins was evaluated by comparing the outcomes with animal-based proteins (e.g., whey, casein), placebo/sham interventions, or no supplementation. The primary outcomes include muscle recovery indicators such as MPS, DOMS, inflammatory biomarkers (e.g., CK, IL-6), and fatigue. Secondary outcomes included muscle function and body composition.

Review findings

A total of 24 studies fulfilled all eligibility criteria and were considered. These studies were conducted between 2002 and 2024, with most conducted in 2024, indicating a recent growing interest in plant-based protein for recovery after resistance training. Approximately 92% of these studies were RCTs, followed by non-randomized designs. Nearly all studies were conducted in Western countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Europe, and the United States, except one conducted in India.

The selected studies include data from 938 participants. The authors highlighted limited research on plant-based proteins in vegan athletes and sedentary or inactive individuals. Most studies have investigated the efficacy of plant-based proteins, particularly soy protein, across mixed-gender cohorts. However, some studies have also evaluated the efficacy of plant-based protein extracted from pea, potato, bean, rice, cocoa, hemp, or protein blends on muscle recovery post resistance training. Protein doses ranged from 15 to 40 g/day, frequently administered post-exercise. Evidence suggests that doses ≥30 g containing 2.5 – 3 g leucine are more likely to produce effects comparable to whey.

Most research measured muscle recovery indirectly or subjectively (e.g., soreness and fatigue), while few assessed objectively based on post-exercise MPS, biomarkers, skeletal muscle satellite number, phenylalanine balance, muscle thickness, amino acid transport rates, and transporter expression.

Nine studies indicated positive effects of plant-based proteins on muscle recovery outcomes. Most positive effects were associated with blended plant protein formulations or higher doses (≥30 g with ~2.5 g leucine). Researchers also observed that single-source plant proteins, such as soy, potato, pea, and cocoa, did not positively impact hormonal balance, MPS, and biochemical indices in most trials. However, some individual studies reported comparable outcomes to whey for specific measures such as lean mass or strength gains.

Although plant-based proteins improved body mass index and muscle strength, findings on lean mass gains were inconsistent across studies. Some evidence also suggested that gender-specific responses, such as greater hypertrophy in women and fatigue resistance in men with hemp protein, but these effects require confirmation. Multiple studies have shown that trained athletes consuming 50 g of soy protein per day experienced a reduction in muscle damage biomarkers and improved subjective recovery, supporting a potential dose-dependent effect.

Many of the positive MPS findings came from acute studies, and the review noted that these short-term changes may not always translate into long-term performance or body composition improvements. The review found substantial variability in protocols, protein formulations, and outcome measures and a moderate-to-high risk of bias in many studies. Detection bias was common in trials relying on self-reported soreness or fatigue, and a meta-analysis was not conducted because of heterogeneity.

Conclusions

The current study underscored the prospect of replacing animal proteins with plant-based protein blends to support muscle recovery in young athletes post-resistance exercise. However, the authors caution that the evidence base is limited, particularly for vegan-specific populations, and that findings are more consistent for acute MPS stimulation than long-term functional outcomes such as strength or lean mass.

To obtain optimal results, vegan athletes must use protein blends in higher doses to meet recovery needs. Future high-quality, longer-term trials with standardized protocols are needed to establish definitive recommendations.

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