There is a global trend of an increased interest in plant-based diets. This includes an increase in the consumption of plant-based proteins at the expense of animal-based proteins. Plant-derived proteins are now also frequently applied in sports nutrition. So far, we have learned that the ingestion of plant-derived proteins, such as soy and wheat protein, result in lower post-prandial muscle protein synthesis responses when compared with the ingestion of an equivalent amount of animal-based protein. The lesser anabolic properties of plant-based versus animal-derived proteins may be attributed to differences in their protein digestion and amino acid absorption kinetics, as well as to differences in amino acid composition between these protein sources. Most plant-based proteins have a low essential amino acid content and are often deficient in one or more specific amino acids, such as lysine and methionine. However, there are large differences in amino acid composition between various plant-derived proteins or plant-based protein sources. So far, only a few studies have directly compared the muscle protein synthetic response following the ingestion of a plant-derived protein versus a high(er) quality animal-derived protein. The proposed lower anabolic properties of plant- versus animal-derived proteins may be compensated for by (i) consuming a greater amount of the plant-derived protein or plant-based protein source to compensate for the lesser quality; (ii) using specific blends of plant-based proteins to create a more balanced amino acid profile; (iii) fortifying the plant-based protein (source) with the specific free amino acid(s) that is (are) deficient. Clinical studies are warranted to assess the anabolic properties of the various plant-derived proteins and their protein sources in vivo in humans and to identify the factors that may or may not compromise the capacity to stimulate post-prandial muscle protein synthesis rates. Such work is needed to determine whether the transition towards a more plant-based diet is accompanied by a transition towards greater dietary protein intake requirements.

全球趋势是对植物性饮食越来越感兴趣。这包括以牺牲动物性蛋白质为代价增加植物性蛋白质的消费。植物来源的蛋白质现在也经常用于运动营养。到目前为止，我们已经了解到，与摄入等量的动物性蛋白质相比，摄入植物性蛋白质（如大豆和小麦蛋白）会导致餐后肌肉蛋白质合成反应较低。植物蛋白与动物蛋白相比，合成代谢特性较低可能归因于它们的蛋白质消化和氨基酸吸收动力学的差异，以及这些蛋白质来源之间氨基酸组成的差异。大多数植物性蛋白质的必需氨基酸含量较低，并且通常缺乏一种或多种特定氨基酸，例如赖氨酸和蛋氨酸。然而，各种植物来源的蛋白质或植物来源的蛋白质来源之间的氨基酸组成存在很大差异。到目前为止，只有少数研究直接比较了摄入植物源性蛋白质与高质量动物源性蛋白质后的肌肉蛋白质合成反应。提议的植物源蛋白与动物源蛋白的合成代谢特性较低，可以通过以下方式进行补偿：(i) 消耗更多的植物源蛋白或植物源蛋白源以补偿较低的质量；(ii) 使用特定的植物蛋白混合物来创造更平衡的氨基酸谱；(iii) 用缺乏的特定游离氨基酸强化植物蛋白（来源）。有必要进行临床研究，以评估各种植物衍生蛋白质及其蛋白质来源在人体体内的合成代谢特性，并确定可能会或可能不会损害刺激餐后肌肉蛋白质合成率的能力的因素。需要进行此类工作来确定向更植物性饮食的过渡是否伴随着向更高膳食蛋白质摄入量的过渡。有必要进行临床研究，以评估各种植物衍生蛋白质及其蛋白质来源在人体体内的合成代谢特性，并确定可能会或可能不会损害刺激餐后肌肉蛋白质合成率的能力的因素。需要进行此类工作来确定向更植物性饮食的过渡是否伴随着向更高膳食蛋白质摄入量的过渡。有必要进行临床研究，以评估各种植物衍生蛋白质及其蛋白质来源在人体体内的合成代谢特性，并确定可能会或可能不会损害刺激餐后肌肉蛋白质合成率的能力的因素。需要进行此类工作来确定向更植物性饮食的过渡是否伴随着向更高膳食蛋白质摄入量的过渡。