Vegan protein test shows not enough
Nitrogen Balance at the Recommended Dietary Allowance for Protein in Minimally Active Male Vegans
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
No correlation between nitrogen balance and vegan duration
People assume long-term vegans adapt to plant proteins, but the study shows even after years, protein deficiency persists.
Practical Takeaways
Aim for 0.96g protein per kg of body weight daily (e.g., 70kg person = 67g protein)
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
No correlation between nitrogen balance and vegan duration
People assume long-term vegans adapt to plant proteins, but the study shows even after years, protein deficiency persists.
Practical Takeaways
Aim for 0.96g protein per kg of body weight daily (e.g., 70kg person = 67g protein)
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2023
Authors
Eric M. Bartholomae, C. Johnston
Related Content
Claims (6)
Nitrogen balance is a physiological measure indicating whether the body is in an anabolic (tissue-building) or catabolic (tissue-breaking) state.
When 17 men who've been vegan for at least a year ate a diet with 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for 5 days, their bodies lost protein, as shown by negative nitrogen balance numbers.
For these vegan men, how long they'd been vegan, their age, muscle mass, or activity level didn't affect whether their bodies were losing protein on this diet.
The standard protein recommendation for adults (0.8g/kg/day) isn't enough to keep protein levels stable in men who've been vegan for a year and aren't very active.
Based on the protein loss observed, vegans might need about 20% more protein (0.96g/kg/day) to stay balanced.