The anabolic response to a ground beef patty and soy-based meat alternative: a randomized controlled trial

Soy-based meat alternatives (SBMA) are becoming increasingly popular, but it is unclear if they have the same anabolic effect on skeletal muscle as animal meat.

We aimed to compare the stimulation of skeletal muscle protein synthesis by consumption of 1 or two 4 oz patties of SBMA with 4 oz (80% protein/20% fat) beef.

The study design was a randomized controlled trial. Participants were aged 18-40 y of age and in good general health with a body mass index (kg/m²) between 20 and 32. Stable isotope tracer methods were used (L-[ring-²H₅] phenylalanine, [U-¹³C₉-¹⁵N]- tyrosine, and L-[ring-²H₄] tyrosine) to quantify the response of muscle protein fractional synthetic rate (FSR) to consumption of a single beef (4 oz), single SBMA (4 oz), or two 4 oz SBMA patties (8 oz). Whole-body rates of protein synthesis, breakdown, and net balance, as well as plasma essential amino acid concentrations, were also measured.

The increase above basal in muscle protein FSR following consumption of the 4 oz beef patty (0.020 ± 0.016%/h) was significantly greater than the increase following consumption of 4 oz SBMA (P = 0.021; 0.003 ± 0.010%/h) but not 8 oz SBMA (P = 0.454; 0.013 ± 0.016%/h). The maximal essential amino acid concentration was significantly correlated (P = 0.046; r = 0.411) with the change in muscle FSR from the basal to the postprandial period. In addition, the change in muscle FSR from the basal to postprandial period was significantly correlated (P = 0.046; r = 0.412) with the corresponding change in whole-body protein synthesis.

Consumption of a 4 oz beef patty stimulates muscle and whole-body protein synthesis >4 oz SBMA patty and similarly to 8 oz of SBMA. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT05197140.