Muscle strength gains during resistance exercise training are attenuated with soy compared with dairy or usual protein intake in older adults: A randomized controlled trial
Abstract
Background & aims Maintenance of muscle mass and strength into older age is critical to maintain health. The aim was to determine whether increased dairy or soy protein intake combined with resistance training enhanced strength gains in older adults. Methods 179 healthy older adults (age 61.5 ± 7.4 yrs, BMI 27.6 ± 3.6 kg/m(2)) performed resistance training three times per week for 12 weeks and were randomized to one of three eucaloric dietary treatments which delivered >20 g of protein at each main meal or immediately after resistance training: high dairy protein (HP-D, >1.2 g of protein/kg body weight/d; ∼27 g/d dairy protein); high soy protein (HP-S, >1.2 g of protein/kg body weight/d; ∼27 g/d soy protein); usual protein intake (UP, <1.2 g of protein/kg body weight/d). Muscle strength, body composition, physical function and quality of life were assessed at baseline and 12 weeks. Treatments effects were analyzed using two-way ANOVA. Results 83 participants completed the intervention per protocol (HP-D = 34, HP-S = 26, UP = 23). Protein intake was higher in HP-D and HP-S compared with UP (HP-D 1.41 ± 0.14 g/kg/d, HP-S 1.42 ± 0.61 g/kg/d, UP 1.10 ± 0.10 g/kg/d; P < 0.001 treatment effect). Strength increased less in HP-S compared with HP-D and UP (HP-D 92.1 ± 40.8%, HP-S 63.0 ± 23.8%,UP 92.3 ± 35.4%; P = 0.002 treatment effect). Lean mass, physical function and mental health scores increased and fat mass decreased (P ≤ 0.006), with no treatment effect (P > 0.06). Conclusions Increased soy protein intake attenuated gains in muscle strength during resistance training in older adults compared with increased intake of dairy protein or usual protein intake. Clinical trial registration ACTRN12612000177853 www.anzctr.org.au.
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For absolute lean mass, the impact of animal protein became significant when the study by Mobley et al., Moeller et al. or Thomson et al. was removed, resulting in higher WMD of between 0.25 kg and 0.29 kg.
“For absolute lean mass, the impact of animal protein became significant when the study by Mobley et al. [43], Moeller et al. [44] or Thomson et al. [46] was removed from the analysis, resulting in higher WMD of between 0.25 kg and 0.29 kg.”
From Animal Protein versus Plant Protein in Supporting Lean Mass and Muscle Strength: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials (2021) · cites this paper as [46]
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- Authors
- Thomson, R. L., Brinkworth, G. D., Noakes, M., & Buckley, J. D.
- Affiliations
- University of South Australia (AU)
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Buckley, Jonathan D.
- Venue
- Clinical Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2016-02
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 27-33
- ISSN
- 0261-5614 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2032003538
- Cited by
- 50
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3
- FWCI
- 1.95
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
- Keywords
- muscle strength, resistance training, soy protein, milk protein, protein intake, older adults, sarcopenia, lean body mass, body composition, physical function, quality of life
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Body Composition, Energy Intake, Dietary Proteins, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Milk Proteins, Quality of Life, Body Mass Index, Treatment Outcome, Muscle, Skeletal, Hand Strength, Soybean Proteins, Muscle Strength, Resistance Training, Waist Circumference, Meals
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