Why Plant Protein Powder Can Be Just as Powerful as Whey

With increasing interest in plant-based eating, the supplement market has been flooded with protein powders sourced from only plants. But there has been a worry that these powders are of lesser quality and can limit the muscle-building benefits, especially when you compare them to whey protein. Now, we have evidence that lifting weights and then downing a shake made with plant protein need not set you back. In a 2024 Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise study that was randomized and double-blind, ten healthy, resistance-trained, young male and female adults completed a bout of lower body resistance exercise and then consumed 32 grams of protein from whey or a plant protein blend (39.5% pea, 39.5% brown rice, 21.0% canola). Blood and muscle samples were collected at rest, and 2 and 4 hours after exercise and protein ingestion. Results were telling: while blood essential amino acid availability during the post-exercise period was about 44% higher in the whey treatment compared with the plant blend, there was no significant difference in the rate of muscle protein synthesis. The key here was that sufficient amounts of protein (32 grams) were consumed after the weight-lifting session, and the plant-based protein was a blend of powders which would give it an amino acid profile that is more along the lines of what you would get from whey. So whether you decide to blend up a post-workout smoothie with whey or a plant blend protein powder, it can be a recipe for building bigger and stronger muscle.