Anabolic Response of Ground Beef Patty vs Soy-Based Meat Alternative
A randomised trial finds that beef patties provide superior anabolic benefits over soy-based meat alternatives, even at smaller serving sizes.
This study aimed to compare the stimulation of skeletal muscle protein synthesis (MPS) after consuming a ground beef patty or soy-based meat alternatives (SBMA), specifically evaluating the effects of different serving sizes.
Methods
Design: A randomised controlled trial involving 24 healthy participants aged 18-40 with a BMI between 20 and 32.
Interventions:
4 oz ground beef patty (80% protein, 20% fat)
4 oz SBMA patty
8 oz SBMA patties (two 4 oz patties)
Measurements:
Muscle protein fractional synthetic rate (FSR) was assessed using stable isotope tracer methods.
Whole-body protein synthesis, breakdown, and net balance were also measured alongside plasma essential amino acid concentrations.
Key Findings
The increase in muscle protein FSR after consuming the 4 oz beef patty (0.020 ± 0.016%/h) was significantly greater than that after the 4 oz SBMA (0.003 ± 0.010%/h, P=0.021).
The muscle FSR response to the 8 oz SBMA (0.013 ± 0.016%/h) did not significantly differ from that of the beef patty (P=0.454).
Plasma essential amino acid concentrations were positively correlated with changes in muscle FSR, indicating that higher amino acid availability enhances protein synthesis.
Conclusions
Consumption of a 4 oz beef patty leads to greater stimulation of muscle and whole-body protein synthesis compared to a single 4 oz SBMA patty, but is comparable to an 8 oz SBMA serving.
The findings suggest that while soy-based alternatives can provide substantial protein, they may not elicit the same anabolic response as animal-based proteins in smaller servings.
