It’s commonly believed that vegetarians have a harder time adding muscle to their frame since they do not have the benefit of animal protein. But a recent study shows that post-workout protein shakes made from pea protein are just as effective as shakes made from whey protein. Scientists at a French research institute published this conclusion in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Researchers followed 160 men, aged 18 to 35, as they went through a 12-week arm-training program. At the end of the study, the men who took 25 grams twice a day of either whey or pea protein increased the thickness of their arms more than those who took a placebo. The increase in muscle was almost identical between those who consumed whey protein and those who took pea protein. Whey protein has plenty of other benefits that help drive changes in body composition, but it’s good to know that vegetarian or vegan bodybuilders have access to an effective plant-based protein.
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