Muscle growth doesn’t care if your protein comes from plants or animals. That is what researchers from the University of Illinois found in a new study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. After tracking 40 active adults over a 9-day resistance training program, they discovered both vegans and meat-eaters gained the same amount of muscle.
Yes, you read that right. Vegans gained just as much muscle as their meat-eating peers - no steaks, no eggs, no whey. Just solid training, a good meal plan, and plants. This flips a long-standing belief in the fitness world on its head.
Muscle Gains Without Meat?
Muscle growth needs protein. That has been the rule. And for years, people thought plant-based eaters were at a disadvantage because vegan proteins are often harder to digest and lower in some key amino acids. Most past research focused on short-term tests, sometimes after just one workout or meal. The results always favored meat.
Jonathan / Pexels / This study did something different. It gave both groups a full meal—real food, not isolated protein powders—and did it over nine full days with regular resistance training.
The idea? See what happens when plant-based diets get the same attention and structure as meat-based diets usually do. The answer: muscles grow just fine.
The Key Was in the Meals
Muscle doesn’t grow overnight. That is why the study’s longer duration matters. A single vegan shake can’t match a steak, but a full vegan meal plan - packed with legumes, grains, nuts, and soy - can deliver plenty of protein across the day. It is not just about what you eat.
The study suggests that it is more about how much, how often, and how it fits into your training.
The researchers believe previous studies didn’t give vegan diets a fair shot. This time, they made sure the meals were high-protein, balanced, and substantial. They were not trying to prove vegans could survive without meat. They wanted to see if they could thrive. And they did.
Muscle Protein Synthesis Levels Were Nearly Identical
The team checked each participant’s muscle-building process by taking muscle biopsies. This let them measure how fast their bodies were producing new muscle protein, a key sign of growth. Both groups, vegan and omnivore, had almost the same increase.
That is big. It shows the body can use plant proteins just as well to build muscle, as long as it is getting enough. It also suggests that a well-planned vegan diet doesn’t just work, it competes.
Freepik / This is good news for people who want to cut back on meat for health, environmental, or ethical reasons. Plus, it is a win for athletes who are vegan but still want to compete or improve performance.
This Changes the Fitness Game
Muscle-building has long been linked with meat. Walk into any gym, and you’ll find whey shakes and chicken breast everywhere. But this study tells a different story. You don’t need meat to build muscle. You just need a plan.
With enough variety and calories, muscle growth is totally on the table.
One reason this worked: the vegan meals were dense, balanced, and rich in more than just protein. That matters. Muscle needs more than protein. It needs energy, micronutrients, and a steady stream of fuel to recover and grow.
These meals had it all. And the training wasn’t light either - three full-body workouts in just over a week. The results? Solid muscle gains on both sides. No shortcuts, no excuses, just smart eating and hard training.
