Plant proteins like soy and wheat don’t help build muscle as much right after eating compared to animal proteins like whey or milk, especially in older people when they're not exercising.

Eating more plant protein—like 60 grams of wheat protein in one meal—might help older adults build muscle just as well as smaller amounts of animal protein, like whey, even though plant proteins aren't as easily used by the body.

Eating larger amounts of plant protein, like wheat, can build muscle just as effectively as eating animal proteins like whey.

Plant proteins might not help older people build or keep muscle as well as animal proteins because they're harder to digest and don't have as much of the important building blocks muscles need.

If you eat the same amount of protein and lift weights the same way, it doesn’t matter whether your protein is fast- or slow-digesting—even if it’s from plants like soy—your muscle gains will be about the same.