The Study
Efficacy of Pea Protein Supplementation in Combination with a Resistance Training Program on Muscle Performance in a Sedentary Adult Population: A Randomized, Comparator-Controlled, Parallel Clinical Trial
This study is like a fair race between two types of protein shakes—pea and whey—to see which one helps people get stronger when they lift weights. It didn't test if protein shakes work at all, just that pea and whey are about equally good. So we can't say protein shakes make you stronger—we can only say pea is just as good as whey.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
This study tested if pea protein (from peas) helps build muscle just as well as whey protein (from milk) when you lift weights.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 576 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — pea protein worked just as well as whey for building muscle and strength, and even helped with less soreness and stronger hands.
- 2People who took pea protein got 16.1% stronger overall and 2.3% more muscle.
- 3Their handgrip got 18.2% stronger — much more than the 9.9% from whey.
- 4They also felt less sore after workouts.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2024
Authors
Ruma G. Singh, L. Guérin‐Deremaux, C. Lefranc-Millot, C. Perreau, David C. Crowley, Erin D. Lewis, Malkanthi Evans, Marc Moulin
Related Content
Claims (6)
Men who lift weights for 12 weeks and take either plant-based or animal-based protein supplements gain the same amount of muscle mass and strength.
In sedentary adults, consuming 20–22.5 grams of pea protein daily for 84 days results in the same level of gastrointestinal tolerability and product likability as consuming the same amount of whey protein, even though the two proteins differ in amino acid content and how easily they are digested.
In sedentary adults, taking pea protein for 84 days leads to faster reduction in muscle soreness 24 and 72 hours after exercise compared to taking whey protein.
Taking pea protein daily for 84 days in sedentary adults does not lead to abnormal changes in liver, kidney, or blood markers, and the number of side effects is similar to that seen with whey protein.
In healthy sedentary adults aged 30–59, consuming 20–22.5 grams of pea protein daily for 84 days along with six 30-minute resistance training sessions per week leads to a 16.1% increase in whole-body muscle strength and a 2.3% increase in muscle mass, with results statistically similar to those from whey protein supplementation.
Among sedentary adults, taking pea protein with resistance training for 84 days leads to an 18.2% increase in handgrip strength, which is larger than the 9.9% increase seen with whey protein and the same training program.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.