SynthesisNutrition reviews2025
Effect of Plant Versus Animal Protein on Muscle Mass, Strength, Physical Performance, and Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Synthesis in Nutrition reviews, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Dietary Intake of Animal and Plant-Based Protein on Adiposity Measurements and Body Composition in Pre- and Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials.FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 2026Pooled it
- Long-term effects of plant vs. animal protein supplementation on body composition, muscle strength, physical performance, and cardiometabolic risk factors in adults:a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Pooled it
- Effect of Plant-Based Proteins on Recovery from Resistance Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Healthy Young Adults-A Systematic Review.Nutrients · 2025Pooled it
- Trial
- Similar effects between animal-based and plant-based protein blend as complementary dietary protein on muscle adaptations to resistance training: findings from a randomized clinical trial.Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2025Trial
- How animal and plant-based proteins affect energy metabolism during the postprandial phase in overweight and obese men: a cross-over design study.Nutrition journal · 2025Trial
- Effect of a new plant-based high-energy oral nutritional supplement in adult malnourished patients: an open-label, randomized clinical trial.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Trial
- [Protein intake and preservation of function in old age : Current evidence and present research gaps].Zeitschrift fur Gerontologie und Geriatrie · 2026Review
- Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Design of Plant-Protein Meat Analogues: Integrating Nutrition, Functionality, and Fibrillation-Based Texturization.Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety · 2026Review
- Sarcopenia: From Global Consensus to Korean Implementation - A Narrative Review and Standpoint.Annals of geriatric medicine and research · 2026Review
- Beyond the bare minimum: the case for revised physical activity guidelines and protein intake recommendations that maximise healthspan.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Article
- Branched-chain amino acids from plants and the metabolic syndrome: pathways and pharmacological applications.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Review
- The role of protein quality and amino acid composition in preventing sarcopenia and functional decline in older adults.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Review
- Flexitarian dietary patterns and neuropsychiatric multimorbidity among the oldest-old in China.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Article
- The association between animal‑based and plant‑based protein intake with sleep quality, mood, anxiety, depression and stress among elderly: a cross-sectional study.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Current Perspectives on Protein Supplementation in Athletes: General Guidance and Special Considerations for Diabetes-A Narrative Review.Nutrients · 2025Review
- Understanding Dietary Protein Quality: Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Scores and Beyond.The Journal of nutrition · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
contextDietary protein is recommended for sarcopenia-a debilitating condition of age-related loss of muscle mass and strength that affects 27% of older adults. The effects of protein on muscle health may depend on protein quality.
objectiveThe aim was to synthesize randomized controlled trial (RCT) data comparing plant with animal protein for muscle health. DATA SOURCES: Forty-three eligible RCTs were sourced from Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and CENTRAL databases. DATA EXTRACTION: Four reviewers (R.J.R.-M., S.F.B., N.A.W., D.L.) extracted data from RCTs (study setting, population, intervention characteristics, outcomes, summary statistics) and conducted quality assessment using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0. DATA ANALYSIS: Standardized mean differences (SMDs) (95% CIs) were combined using a random-effects meta-analysis and forest plots were generated. I2 statistics were calculated to test for statistical heterogeneity.
conclusionThirty RCTs (70%) were eligible for meta-analysis and all examined muscle mass outcomes. Compared with animal protein, plant protein resulted in lower muscle mass following the intervention (SMD = -0.20; 95% CI: -0.37, -0.03; P = .02), with stronger effects in younger (<60 years; SMD = -0.20; 95% CI: -0.37, -0.03; P = .02) than in older (≥60 years; SMD = -0.05; 95% CI: -0.32, 0.23; P = .74) adults. There was no pooled effect difference between soy and milk protein for muscle mass (SMD = -0.02; 95% CI: -0.20, 0.16; P = .80) (n = 17 RCTs), yet animal protein improved muscle mass compared with non-soy plant proteins (rice, chia, oat, and potato; SMD = -0.58; 95% CI: -1.06, -0.09; P = .02) (n = 5 RCTs) and plant-based diets (SMD = -0.51; 95% CI: -0.91, -0.11; P = .01) (n = 7 RCTs). No significant difference was found between plant or animal protein for muscle strength (n = 14 RCTs) or physical performance (n = 5 RCTs). No trials examined sarcopenia as an outcome. Animal protein may have a small beneficial effect over non-soy plant protein for muscle mass; however, research into a wider range of plant proteins and diets is needed. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42020188658.
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What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.