The Claim

In young men undergoing resistance training, supplementing a plant-based diet with soy protein isolate to achieve 1.6 g/kg/day of total protein results in comparable increases in leg lean mass as supplementing an omnivorous diet with whey protein.

Source: High-Protein Plant-Based Diet Versus a Protein-Matched Omnivorous Diet to Support Resistance Training Adaptations: A Comparison Between Habitual Vegans and Omnivores

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
60score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Cause and effect
1 study reviewed
In plain English

When young men lift weights and consume 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily, adding soy protein isolate to a plant-based diet produces the same increase in leg muscle mass as adding whey protein to an omnivorous diet.

See the scientific wording

In young men undergoing resistance training, supplementing a plant-based diet with soy protein isolate to reach 1.6 g/kg/day of total protein results in comparable increases in leg lean mass as supplementing an omnivorous diet with whey protein, indicating that soy protein can effectively support muscle accretion when intake is sufficient.

Why this might work

When a person consumes 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight from soy or whey, the amino acid leucine from either source triggers a molecular signal in muscle cells that turns on protein building. This signal increases the production of muscle fibers, causing them to grow larger over time when combined with resistance training, resulting in more leg muscle mass.

Verified mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: High-Protein Plant-Based Diet Versus a Protein-Matched Omnivorous Diet to Support Resistance Training Adaptations: A Comparison Between Habitual Vegans and Omnivores

    When young men lifted weights and got 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, those who got it from soy gained just as much leg muscle as those who got it from whey — so soy works just as well for building muscle when you get enough protein.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

Fit Body Science verdict — we translate health claims into clear verdicts backed by peer-reviewed research.

Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.