The muscle protein synthetic response to the ingestion of a plant-derived protein blend does not differ from an equivalent amount of milk protein in healthy, young males
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Plant-derived proteins are considered to have lesser anabolic properties when compared with animal-derived proteins. The attenuated rise in muscle protein synthesis rates following ingestion of plant-derived compared with animal-derived protein has been, at least partly, attributed to deficiencies in specific amino acids such as leucine, lysine, and/or methionine. Combining different plant-derived proteins could provide plant-derived protein blends with a more balanced amino acid profile. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare postprandial muscle protein synthesis rates following the ingestion of 30 g milk protein with a 30 g blend combining wheat, corn, and pea protein in healthy young men. METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group design, 24 young males (aged 24 ± 4 y) received a primed continuous l-[ring-13C6]-phenylalanine infusion after which they ingested 30 g milk protein (MILK) or a 30 g plant-derived protein blend combining 15 g wheat, 7.5 g corn, and 7.5 g pea protein (PLANT-BLEND). Blood and muscle biopsies were collected frequently for 5 h to assess postprandial plasma amino acid profiles (secondary outcome) and subsequent muscle protein synthesis rates (primary outcome). Data were analyzed by 2-factor repeated measures ANOVA and 2-samples t tests. RESULTS: MILK increased plasma essential amino acid concentrations more than PLANT-BLEND over the 5 h postprandial period (incremental AUC = 151 ± 31 compared with 79 ± 12 mmol·300 min·L-1, respectively; P < 0.001). Ingestion of both MILK and PLANT-BLEND increased myofibrillar protein synthesis rates (P < 0.001), with no significant differences between treatments (0.053 ± 0.013%/h and 0.064 ± 0.016%/h, respectively; P = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: Ingestion of 30 g plant-derived protein blend combining wheat-, corn-, and pea-derived protein increases muscle protein synthesis rates in healthy young males. The muscle protein synthetic response to the ingestion of 30 g of this plant-derived protein blend does not differ from the ingestion of an equivalent amount of a high-quality animal-derived protein.Clinical trial registry number for Nederlands Trial Register: NTR6548 (https://trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=NTR6548).
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
A plant/animal protein blend or exclusively plant protein blend can stimulate an equivalent MPS response to an animal-based comparison.
“A handful of studies have supported the blending theory by demonstrating that a plant/animal protein blend [89,90,92,93] or exclusively plant protein blend [88,94,95] can stimulate an equivalent MPS response to an animal-based comparison.”
From Nutritional Considerations for the Vegan Athlete (2023) · cites this paper as [95]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Protein and amino acid requirements in human nutrition.
(2007) · PubMed · Cited by 2,227 · see citing works
Slow and fast dietary proteins differently modulate postprandial protein accretion
Boirie, Y., Dangin, M., Gachon, P., Vasson, M.-P., Maubois, J.-L., & Beaufrère, B. (1997) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.94.26.14930 · Cited by 1,453 · see citing works
Converting Nitrogen into Protein—Beyond 6.25 and Jones' Factors
Mariotti, F., Tomé, D., & Mirand, P. P. (2008) · Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition · doi:10.1080/10408390701279749 · Cited by 1,409 · see citing works
Protein content and amino acid composition of commercially available plant-based protein isolates
Gorissen, S. H. M., Crombag, J. J. R., Senden, J. M. G., Waterval, W. A. H., Bierau, J., Verdijk, L. B., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2018) · Amino Acids · doi:10.1007/s00726-018-2640-5 · Cited by 1,169 · see citing works
Self-citationPercutaneous Needle Biopsy of Skeletal Muscle in Physiological and Clinical Research
Bergström, J. P. (1975) · Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation · doi:10.3109/00365517509095787 · Cited by 1,159 · see citing works
Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment
Pimentel, D., & Pimentel, M. (2003) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/78.3.660s · Cited by 1,021 · see citing works
Tang, J. E., Moore, D. R., Kujbida, G. W., Tarnopolsky, M. A., & Phillips, S. M. (2009) · Journal of Applied Physiology · doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00076.2009 · Cited by 998 · see citing works
Volpi, E., Kobayashi, H., Sheffield-Moore, M., Mittendorfer, B., & Wolfe, R. R. (2003) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/78.2.250 · Cited by 846 · see citing works
Pennings, B., Boirie, Y., Senden, J. M., Gijsen, A. P., Kuipers, H., & van Loon, L. J. (2011) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.3945/ajcn.110.008102 · Cited by 656 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Skeletal Muscle Anabolic Response to Plant- versus Animal-Based Protein Consumption
van Vliet, S., Burd, N. A., & van Loon, L. J. (2015) · The Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.3945/jn.114.204305 · Cited by 651 · see citing works
Self-citationWitard, O. C., Jackman, S. R., Breen, L., Smith, K., Selby, A., & Tipton, K. D. (2014) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.3945/ajcn.112.055517 · Cited by 517 · see citing works
Wilkinson, D. J., Hossain, T., Hill, D. S., Phillips, B. E., Crossland, H., Williams, J., Loughna, P., Churchward‐Venne, T. A., Breen, L., Phillips, S. M., et al. (2013) · The Journal of Physiology · doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2013.253203 · Cited by 484 · see citing works
Berrazaga, I., Micard, V., Gueugneau, M., & Walrand, S. (2019) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu11081825 · Cited by 477 · see citing works
Rieu, I., Balage, M., Sornet, C., Giraudet, C., Pujos, E., Grizard, J., Mosoni, L., & Dardevet, D. (2006) · The Journal of Physiology · doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2006.110742 · Cited by 410 · see citing works
Moore, D. R., Tang, J. E., Burd, N. A., Rerecich, T., Tarnopolsky, M. A., & Phillips, S. M. (2009) · The Journal of Physiology · doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2008.164087 · Cited by 322 · see citing works
Koopman, R., Wagenmakers, A. J. M., MANDERS, R. J. F., Zorenc, A. H. G., Senden, J. M., Gorselink, M., KEIZER, H. A., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2004) · American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism · doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00413.2004 · Cited by 316 · see citing works
Self-citationBurd, N. A., Yang, Y., Moore, D. R., Tang, J. E., Tarnopolsky, M. A., & Phillips, S. M. (2012) · British Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.1017/s0007114511006271 · Cited by 276 · see citing works
Gorissen, S. H., Horstman, A. M., Franssen, R., Crombag, J. J., Langer, H., Bierau, J., Respondek, F., & van Loon, L. J. (2016) · The Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.3945/jn.116.231340 · Cited by 221 · see citing works
Gorissen, S. H. M., & Witard, O. C. (2018) · Proceedings of the Nutrition Society · doi:10.1017/s002966511700194x · Cited by 221 · cited 1× · see citing works
“However, plant-derived proteins are believed to have lesser anabolic properties when compared with animal-derived proteins due to their lower digestibility and/or incomplete amino acid profile (17, 18).”
BackgroundSelf-citationLeucine co-ingestion improves post-prandial muscle protein accretion in elderly men
Wall, B. T., Hamer, H. M., de Lange, A., Kiskini, A., Groen, B. B. L., Senden, J. M. G., Gijsen, A. P., Verdijk, L. B., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2013) · Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2012.09.002 · Cited by 220 · see citing works
Self-citationMaximizing muscle protein anabolism: the role of protein quality
Tang, J. E., & Phillips, S. M. (2009) · Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care · doi:10.1097/mco.0b013e32831cef75 · Cited by 178 · see citing works
Protein blend ingestion following resistance exercise promotes human muscle protein synthesis
Reidy, P. T., Walker, D. K., Dickinson, J. M., Gundermann, D. M., Drummond, M. J., Timmerman, K. L., Fry, C. S., Borack, M. S., Cope, M. B., Mukherjea, R., et al. (2013) · The Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.3945/jn.112.168021 · Cited by 178 · see citing works
The anabolic response to plant-based protein ingestion
Pinckaers, P. J. M., Trommelen, J., Snijders, T., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2021) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.1007/s40279-021-01540-8 · Cited by 170 · see citing works
Koopman, R., Walrand, S., Beelen, M., Gijsen, A. P., Kies, A. K., Boirie, Y., Saris, W. H. M., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2009) · The Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.3945/jn.109.109173 · Cited by 167 · see citing works
Post-Prandial Protein Handling: You Are What You Just Ate
Groen, B. B. L., Horstman, A. M. H., Hamer, H. M., de Haan, M. W., van Kranenburg, J. M. X., Bierau, J., Poeze, M., Wodzig, W. K. W. H., Rasmussen, B. B., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2015) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0141582 · Cited by 150 · see citing works
Self-citationSex-based comparisons of myofibrillar protein synthesis after resistance exercise in the fed state
West, D. W. D., Burd, N. A., Churchward-Venne, T. A., Camera, D. M., Mitchell, C. J., Baker, S. K., Hawley, J. A., Coffey, V. G., & Phillips, S. M. (2012) · Journal of Applied Physiology · doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00170.2012 · Cited by 143 · see citing works
Nutritional Interventions to Promote Post-Exercise Muscle Protein Synthesis
Koopman, R., Saris, W. H. M., Wagenmakers, A. J. M., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2007) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.2165/00007256-200737100-00005 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
Henderson, G. C., Dhatariya, K., Ford, G. C., Klaus, K. A., Basu, R., Rizza, R. A., Jensen, M. D., Khosla, S., O’Brien, P. C., & Nair, K. S. (2008) · The FASEB Journal · doi:10.1096/fj.08-117200 · Cited by 110 · see citing works
Monteyne, A. J., Coelho, M. O., Porter, C., Abdelrahman, D. R., Jameson, T. S., Jackman, S. R., Blackwell, J. R., Finnigan, T. J., Stephens, F. B., Dirks, M. L., et al. (2020) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqaa092 · Cited by 110 · see citing works
Measurement of protein digestibility in humans by a dual-tracer method
Devi, S., Varkey, A., Sheshshayee, M. S., Preston, T., & Kurpad, A. V. (2018) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqy062 · Cited by 107 · see citing works
Hermans, W. J. H., Senden, J. M., Churchward‐Venne, T. A., Paulussen, K. J. M., Fuchs, C. J., Smeets, J. S. J., van Loon, J. J. A., Verdijk, L. B., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2021) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqab115 · Cited by 106 · see citing works
Self-citationReidy, P. T., Walker, D. K., Dickinson, J. M., Gundermann, D. M., Drummond, M. J., Timmerman, K. L., Cope, M. B., Mukherjea, R., Jennings, K., Volpi, E., et al. (2014) · Journal of Applied Physiology · doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01093.2013 · Cited by 97 · see citing works
The muscle protein synthetic response to food ingestion
Gorissen, S. H. M., Rémond, D., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2015) · Meat Science · doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.05.009 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
Self-citationKashyap, S., Shivakumar, N., Varkey, A., Duraisamy, R., Thomas, T., Preston, T., Devi, S., & Kurpad, A. V. (2018) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqy178 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Smith, G. I., Atherton, P. J., Reeds, D. N., Mohammed, B. S., Jaffery, H., Rankin, D., Rennie, M. J., & Mittendorfer, B. (2009) · Journal of Applied Physiology · doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00348.2009 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
True ileal digestibility of legumes determined by dual-isotope tracer method in Indian adults
Kashyap, S., Varkey, A., Shivakumar, N., Devi, S., Reddy B H, R., Thomas, T., Preston, T., Sreeman, S., & Kurpad, A. V. (2019) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqz159 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
Pinckaers, P. J. M., Kouw, I. W. K., Hendriks, F. K., van Kranenburg, J. M. X., de Groot, L. C. P. G. M., Verdijk, L. B., Snijders, T., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2021) · British Journal Of Nutrition · doi:10.1017/s0007114521000635 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Self-citationResistance Exercise Augments Postprandial Overnight Muscle Protein Synthesis Rates
TROMMELEN, J., HOLWERDA, A. M., KOUW, I. W. K., LANGER, H., HALSON, S. L., ROLLO, I., VERDIJK, L. B., & VAN LOON, L. J. C. (2016) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/mss.0000000000001045 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Self-citationHansen, M., Langberg, H., Holm, L., Miller, B. F., Petersen, S. G., Doessing, S., Skovgaard, D., Trappe, T., & Kjaer, M. (2011) · Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0838.2009.01002.x · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Churchward-Venne, T. A., Pinckaers, P. J. M., Smeets, J. S. J., Peeters, W. M., Zorenc, A. H., Schierbeek, H., Rollo, I., Verdijk, L. B., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2019) · The Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.1093/jn/nxy251 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Self-citationBurd, N. A., Pennings, B., Groen, B. B. L., Gijsen, A. P., Senden, J. M., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2012) · Journal of Applied Physiology · doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00513.2012 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Self-citation
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- [31]Schierbeek H, editor. Mass spectrometry and stable isotopes in nutritional and pediatric research. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc; 2017.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Ely, I. A., Phillips, B. E., Smith, K., Wilkinson, D. J., Piasecki, M., Breen, L., Larsen, M. S., & Atherton, P. J. (2023) · Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2023.08.010 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Liao, C.-D., Huang, S.-W., Chen, H.-C., Huang, M.-H., Liou, T.-H., & Lin, C.-L. (2024) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu16070941 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Nutritional Considerations for the Vegan Athlete
West, S., Monteyne, A. J., van der Heijden, I., Stephens, F. B., & Wall, B. T. (2023) · Advances in Nutrition · doi:10.1016/j.advnut.2023.04.012 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
- Authors
- Pinckaers, P. J., Kouw, I. W., Gorissen, S. H., Houben, L. H., Senden, J. M., Wodzig, W. K., de Groot, L. C., Verdijk, L. B., Snijders, T., & van Loon, L. J.
- Affiliations
- Maastricht University Medical Centre (NL)
- ORCID
- Venue
- The Journal of Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2022-12
- Volume
- 152
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 2734-2743
- ISSN
- 0022-3166 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC9839989
- OpenAlex
- W4297521485
- Cited by
- 70
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 2
- FWCI
- 6.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Nutrition (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Publications (Maastricht University) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
- VUBIR (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) (submittedVersion)
- Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Proteins in Food Systems
- Keywords
- plant proteins, milk protein, muscle protein synthesis, protein blends, wheat proteins, corn protein, pea protein, essential amino acids, plasma amino acid profile, myofibrillar protein synthesis, postprandial response, amino acid composition, young men, muscle anabolism, amino acid score, protein quality, leucine
- MeSH terms
- Pea Proteins, Adult, Amino Acids, Animals, Dietary Proteins, Double-Blind Method, Eating, Humans, Male, Milk Proteins, Muscle Proteins, Plant Proteins, Muscle, Skeletal, Postprandial Period, Young Adult
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
