Animal vs Plant-Based Proteins Supplements
It’s a myth that animal protein is somehow better than plant-based protein.
It is often assumed that the animal protein is absorbed faster by the body. However, scientific evidence shows that it is not the case as in some cases the speed at which a protein is absorbed by the body exceeds the body’s capacity to build muscle. This translates to the fact that excess protein is stored as fat, excess amino acids are oxidized and absorbed by the body, or excreted.
It is also widely talked about that animal protein is classed as a whole and complete protein because it is usually high in the nine amino acids which the body can’t produce on its own that are essential for building muscle mass. Does this mean that plant-based protein is incomplete in the sense that a single plant source?
The fact is that all protein is ingested and fully processed by the body, regardless its source. Similarly the rate of absorption of protein is not a reliable guide as to what constitutes ‘good’ or ‘bad’ protein types. Various researches shows that plant-based diet is sufficiently varied, it is just as effective at building muscle as a diet that uses animal products as a primary source of protein.
This means that protein obtained from plants is as effective as protein obtained from animals at building good quality muscle. It is, however, different and it should be treated as such. You may get all the protein you require from a 400 gms of chicken, you will need more varied diet from different complementary plant sources to get the same amount of protein over the course of a day’s eating.
Next question comes to how much protein should be consumed for muscle building?
The optimum amount of protein ingested appears to be 0.4 g/kg/meal across a minimum of four meals in order to reach a minimum of 1.6 g/kg body weight/day. Studies suggest that taking more protein can result in lower levels of the protein in the body for muscle building, though this protein can get absorbed in the body but not precisely be entirely used for muscle building. Ingestion of excess protein can lead to a plateau in muscle building and your money and efforts can get wasted.
It has also been validated that long-term high protein/high meat intake may cause bone disorder, calcium homeostasis, disorders of renal and liver function, risk of cancer and other gut related issues.
Too much protein for too long and protein that is taken primarily from animal sources is the cause of health issues that will affect both lifespan and quality of life. When we work on our body to keep it fit and healthy then we should keep in mind that the safest a ways are the best for a a long and healthy life.