Peer-reviewed study
Protein source matters less than the whole plan, but quality still matters
Effect of Plant Versus Animal Protein on Muscle Mass, Strength, Physical Performance, and Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Source details
PubMed-linked study details.
- Authors
- Reid-McCann et al.
- Journal
- Nutrition Reviews. 2025.
- Identifiers
- PMID 39813010 · DOI 10.1093/nutrit/nuae200
Claim guardrail
What this page should prevent.
Do not turn this into animal-protein absolutism. The review found small muscle-mass differences and no clear strength or performance difference.
Geebs coaching takeaway
The study only matters if it changes a behavior.
Plant-based clients can build a strong plan, but they may need more attention to protein dose, source mix, leucine quality, and total daily consistency.
Content angles
Safe ways to translate it.
Plant protein can work, but plan it
Protein quality is a design problem
Do not let ideology underfeed muscle
Exact answer pages
Questions that cite this source.
Diet muscle-retention answer
How do you avoid losing muscle while dieting?
You reduce muscle-loss risk by giving your body a reason to keep muscle: lift consistently, hit a realistic protein floor, avoid crash dieting, and track strength instead of only tracking scale weight.
Protein source answer
Is plant protein as good as animal protein for muscle?
Plant protein can work, but the plan may need more precision. Total protein, source variety, protein quality, and resistance training matter more than arguing about one perfect food.
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