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hey Protein prides itself as the undisputed king of protein powders and owes its historical dominance of the protein world.

Your intense physical training can result in muscle damage, and changes in muscle strength and performance. Providing your body with a rapid resolution to exercise-induced muscle damage could facilitate higher-quality training stimulus. It is said that to maximize muscle protein accretion with resistance training, protein intake of 1.4g to 1.6g/Kg/day is appropriate for active individuals attempting to optimize training adaptations. People resort to protein supplements to meet this threshold. Due to the high branched chain amino acids, leucine content, rapid digestibility, and ability to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis and recovery, Whey Protein excels as the superior protein source. No wonder, Whey is the common choice for protein supplementation among the athletic population.

Also Read: Benefits Of Whey Protein For Athletic Performance

While Whey Protein supplementation is the best at enhancing adaptations to resistance training, not all athletes can consume Whey. Athletes adhering to a plant-based diet should turn to plant-based protein supplements. But the common doubt that prevails among the athletic community is, ‘are plant-based protein supplements comparable substitute for Whey’?

Can you seek a vegan source of protein as an alternative to Whey expecting the same effectiveness as Whey? This article compares plant-based protein and Whey Protein in their efficiency in boosting muscle strength, recovery, and stamina.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHEY PROTEIN & PLANT PROTEIN

Whey Protein is a dairy protein that is derived from milk as a byproduct during the cheese-making process.

Whey Protein is always complete, meaning which it contains all the essential amino acids be it Whey Concentrate, Whey Isolate, or Whey Hydrolysate form.

Whey Protein supplement is suitable for vegetarians.

Plant proteins are derived from a variety of protein sources, such as soy, peas, brown rice, and hemp.

Not all plant protein sources contain all essential amino acids.

Plant Protein supplements are the preferred source of protein for vegetarians, vegans, also for people with dairy allergies and lactose intolerances.

Also Read: How Long Does It Take For Whey Protein To Give Results?

IS VEGAN PROTEIN A COMPARABLE SUBSTITUTE FOR WHEY?

The quality of a protein supplement is determined by its amino acid profile, rate of digestion, and utilization by the body. High-quality protein must possess a good range of EAA, BCAA, and leucine. Whey Protein is a long-reigning champion among protein powders due to these attributes. The quality of protein has been shown to have a direct impact on resistance training adaptations.

DOES PLANT PROTEIN PROVIDE ALL ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS?

While the sources of plant protein that offer all essential amino acids are limited, by combining different plant protein sources, it is possible to improve the overall protein quality, since the amino acid composition of different protein sources complements each other.

COMPLEMENTARY PROTEINS

When two or more incomplete protein sources are combined together, they complement each other to make up for the shortfall of amino acids. Take for example, pea protein powder although offers a good range of protein per serving, it is lower in methionine and higher in lysine content. Brown rice protein powder is lower in lysine and higher in methionine. So, combining the two proteins will make for complementary proteins and will give you a better amino acid profile.

Also Read: Everything You Need To Know About Brown Rice Protein

IS VEGAN PROTEIN AS EFFECTIVE AS WHEY PROTEIN IN TERMS OF MUSCLE BUILDING?

There’s a stereotype that significant muscle size and strength can’t be achieved without consuming meat or Whey Protein. This is because we have been conditioned to believe that only animal-based protein sources are efficient in building muscle strength and muscle mass. By default, the term, ‘vegan’ is generally associated with healthy, not muscular. But, the truth is a high-quality plant-based protein is no different than Whey Protein in supporting muscle strength and muscle mass.

Also Read: Pea Protein – 100% Vegan Protein Powder

VEGAN PROTEIN IS COMPARABLE TO WHEY PROTEIN

Yes, a high-quality protein, exclusively from a plant-based source supports resistance training-induced adaptations and builds muscle strength and muscle gains as equal to high-quality animal-based protein sources. By combining plant-based sources of protein with a balanced diet and exercise routine, it is possible to build muscle and achieve fitness goals.

AS-IT-IS ATOM PLANT PROTEIN COMPLEX IS AS EFFECTIVE AS WHEY PROTEIN

ATOM Plant Protein complex carefully blends brown rice protein and pea protein and brings you a well-rounded, high-quality, complete vegan protein powder. ATOM Plant Protein complex is designed to match the amino profile of the standard Whey, it is fortified with a vitamin and mineral blend and includes an enzyme blend that supports easy absorption of protein. The supplement includes ashwagandha which helps to revitalize the body, improve muscle strength, muscle coordination, and enhance endurance.

A randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ATOM Plant protein source in comparison with AS-IT-IS Whey Protein in improving muscle mass, strength, and stamina in male subjects for a period of 8 weeks. ATOM Plant protein complex and Whey Protein Concentrate were consumed in doses of 30 grams mixed with 200 ml water twice a day for 8 weeks.

The research found that there were no clinically significant side effects to both protein supplements from the study. Both supplements showed excellent tolerability.

There was almost 100% physical training compliance observed in the Whey Protein supplement and ATOM plant protein complex supplement groups, respectively. Whey and Plant protein complex treatment equally improved endurance and stamina in 60 days.

There was an increase in muscle strength with leg extension in the Whey Protein and ATOM Plant Protein complex groups after treatment for 60 days.

Final note: In the context of resistance training, a high-quality protein is one which possesses all the essential amino acids (EAA) and contains a sufficient amount of the branched chain amino acid (BCAA) to augment muscle protein synthesis. In this respect, the ATOM Plant Protein complex matches the amino profile of Whey Protein and thereby, gives similar muscle-building results as Whey Protein.

The Plant-based protein shows potential as a comparable alternative to whey protein...

Both proteins offer identical benefits for muscle hypertrophy, muscle recovery, and providing energy…

Reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://www.mdpi.com

Also Read: Soy Protein Isolate – A Perfect Protein Solution For Vegans