Tag Archive for: protein synthesis

Use Animal Protein to Build Muscle

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Plant-based food versus supplemental shake: that is the question. It’s not the only question, but it’s where we start today’s Health Memo. The supplemental shake used in the study used the same type and amount of amino acids found in the rice and beans. They also used the same amount of carbohydrates, fiber, and fat. With the results virtually the same as to the lack of muscle-protein synthesis, the question becomes why?

Food Factors

The researchers suggested that the lack of muscle-protein synthesis could be due to the extraction of the amino acids from the food structure. It may take the digestive system too long to release the protein from the carbohydrate material before it reaches the end of the digestion process and thus is eliminated from the body. If true, that means the issue could get worse the older that we get and could contribute to age-related sarcopenia.

The researchers also cite that the high carbohydrate level of the rice at 114 grams might have impaired the availability of the amino acids. At some point, the elevated blood sugar blunts the use of amino acids to build muscle. They also used a supplement of carbohydrate alone in another similar study which also blunted muscle-protein synthesis.

The researchers also suggested that perhaps the amount of protein at 20 grams was too low. Other studies have used 30 grams of protein or more in similar studies with much lower carbohydrate.

The researchers also included data from another similar study using ground pork. The rate of muscle-protein synthesis was twice that found in the current study.

The Bottom Line

Where does this study leave us? With more questions.

This was a very small group of young adults; we know age, gender, fitness level, and other factors may also impact protein utilization. At this time, animal protein, whether in food or in supplement form, is probably better to build muscle than plant-based protein. In addition, it should be taken either before, during, or just after muscle-building workouts to maximize muscle-protein synthesis. We still need our carbs in grains, veggies, and fruits as well as some fat—just at another time for maximum benefit from all the nutrients.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: AJCN. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2026.101380

Plant-Based Protein: Food vs. Shake

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There are many questions related to every aspect of nutrition. Most may seem trivial, but it doesn’t mean it won’t be helpful to know the answers. One that’s important to protein synthesis is whether a person can get enough protein from complementary plant foods or plant-based protein from shakes with the same nutrient distribution as the whole foods. Complementary protein is the concept of combining plant foods to provide a more complete amino acid profile; rice and beans would be one example.

Researchers chose 10 young people as subjects to test the muscle-protein synthesis rate of eating a complementary whole-food plant protein meal rather than a supplement with the same macronutrient profile. The meals were ingested after a weight-training session focused on leg muscles. Subjects served as their own controls, and the sessions were held in a randomized fashion one week apart.

They found no differences between the rate of muscle-protein synthesis after eating the nutrients as rice and beans or the macronutrients provided as a supplemental shake. Did it prove to be good enough to build muscle? We’ll check that out as well as a couple of surprise findings on Saturday.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: AJCN. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2026.101380

Should You Increase Your Protein Supplement?

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The research paper we’re reviewing demonstrated that there seemed to be a dose-like response to protein intake after intense exercise; that is, the more protein, the more muscle synthesis. And it lasted at least 12 hours instead of the prior four to six hours for a lower dose. Also, the excess protein intake wasn’t used to make energy to any great degree as previously thought; that means less strain on the kidneys, because when protein is broken into individual amino acids, the nitrogen group won’t have to be eliminated via the kidneys.

As always, there are more questions to be answered before this study becomes the new normal.

To Be Determined

The obvious issue is that the subjects were all young men from 18 to 40. Would the same results happen in women? And would the same result happen in older subjects, such as those in their 50s or 60s?

Next question: would the extra protein be absorbed and used the same way without the intense exercise session? The subjects did four different exercises using the legs and chest with four sets of ten reps, pushing the subjects to failure on the final three sets. Pushing yourself that hard can be challenging and even dangerous without help. Could someone with known cardiovascular disease push themselves as hard without causing a cardiovascular event? Would metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes impact how protein was utilized?

I could go on, but you get the point. One study with fewer than 40 young subjects, using testing procedures that will not be easy to duplicate, isn’t a basis for changing protein intake after exercise for everyone.

What Does It Mean?

The obvious answer is that it provides a new area of research. I would be most interested in how the use of essential amino acids could impact the protein synthesis in addition to additional protein intake. But let’s stick to what it means beyond future results.

On the days that you lift weights, even though perhaps not as intensely as the subjects in this study, add an additional 10 or 25 grams of protein to your post-workout shake. Milk protein was used as the source in this study, but other sources of protein powders would probably obtain the same result. The composition of protein powders doesn’t vary much, so choose whatever appeals to you.

The men began drinking their shake after they completed the exercise session. I recommend drinking extra water for a couple of hours after the shake. Do that for a specific number of weeks and see what happens. Track whether you’re able to increase weight or add muscle.

If you don’t do resistance exercise, you can see how you respond to the additional protein after a long walk or a yoga session. You might feel better with the additional protein.

The Bottom Line

Nutrition is a constantly changing field. Some basic assumptions that developed can now be reconsidered with better technology to test benefits or pitfalls. While it may take years or even decades before we have answers, what’s really important is how you respond. Adding some additional protein such as 10 or 25 grams to your morning or post-workout shake is not unreasonable to see how it benefits you. All the research in the world still comes down to how it affects you and your unique body; for example, certain antihistamines put some people to sleep and keep other people awake. As long as you’re reasonably healthy, you are your own subject.

Just remember: keep track of what you do and find a way to assess the outcome. After that, it comes down to one question: 

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: Cell Reports Medicine https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101324