Plant-Based Diets Can Surpass Protein and Leucine Requirements to Maximize Gains in Muscle Size and Strength

A modeling study published in the journal Nutrients that scaled the nutrient composition of completely plant-based diets to the caloric demands of male bodybuilders has highlighted that intakes of total protein and leucine – a key amino acid for triggering muscle protein synthesis – surpass average requirements for maximal increases in muscle mass and strength.

The researchers – from universities in the US, Canada, and Finland – took dietary data from a large cohort following commonplace plant-based diets, and scaled those intakes to meet the caloric demands of maximal muscle mass and strength development in adult male bodybuilders. Modeled intakes for protein were calculated as 1.8g per kg of bodyweight per day and leucine intake was calculated at 2.75g per meal, which surpasses average requirements for maximal increases in muscle mass and strength and muscle protein synthesis, respectively.

On top of this, daily levels for all micronutrients, except vitamin D, also exceeded requirements, while saturated fat levels were aligned with dietary guidelines. The authors concluded that these findings “support a critical alignment between recommendations for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases and the enhancement of muscle mass and strength in an athletic population”.

References

Goldman, D. M., Warbeck, C. B., & Karlsen, M. C. (2024). Completely Plant-Based Diets That Meet Energy Requirements for Resistance Training Can Supply Enough Protein and Leucine to Maximize Hypertrophy and Strength in Male Bodybuilders: A Modeling Study. Nutrients, 16(8), 1122. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16081122