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Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between plant protein, animal protein and biological aging through different dimensions of biological aging indices. Then explore the effects of substitution of plant protein, animal protein, and their food sources on biological aging. Methods The data came from 79,294 participants in the UK Biobank who completed at least two 24-h dietary assessments. Higher Klemera-Doubal Method Biological Age (HKDM-BA), higher PhenoAge (HPA), higher allostatic load (HAL), and longer telomere length (LTL) were estimated to assess biological aging. Logistic regression was used to estimate protein-biological aging associations. Substitution model was performed to assess the effect of dietary protein substitutions. Results Plant protein intake was inversely associated with HKDM-BA, HPA, HAL, and positively associated with LTL (odds ratios after fully adjusting and comparing the highest to the lowest quartile: 0.83 (0.79–0.88) for HKDM-BA, 0.86 (0.72–0.94) for HPA, 0.90 (0.85–0.95) for HAL, 1.06 (1.01–1.12) for LTL), while animal protein was not correlated with the four indices. Substituting 5% of energy intake from animal protein with plant protein, replacing red meat or poultry with whole grains, and replacing red or processed meat with nuts, were negatively associated with HKDM-BA, HPA, HAL and positively associated with LTL. However, an inverse association was found when legumes were substituted for yogurt. Gamma glutamyltransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase mediated the relationship between plant protein and HKDM-BA, HPA, HAL, and LTL (mediation proportion 11.5–24.5%; 1.9–6.7%; 2.8–4.5%, respectively). Conclusion Higher plant protein intake is inversely associated with biological aging. Although there is no association with animal protein, food with animal proteins displayed a varied correlation.

Background: Plant-based protein supplementation in supporting muscle recovery following resistance exercise remains an area of growing interest, particularly among vegan athletes, as a potential alternative to animal-based proteins. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of plant-based proteins on recovery from resistance exercise-induced muscle damage in healthy young adults. Methods: A systematic and comprehensive search was administered in eight databases up to 1 May 2025, identifying 1407 articles. Following deduplication and screening, 24 studies met the eligibility criteria, including 22 randomized controlled trials and 2 non-randomized studies, with the majority from high income western countries. Results: Interventions primarily involved soy, pea, rice, hemp, potato, and blended plant protein sources, with doses ranging from 15 to 50 g, typically administered post resistance exercise. Outcomes assessed included muscle protein synthesis (MPS), delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), inflammatory biomarkers, muscle function, and fatigue. The review findings reaffirm that single-source plant proteins generally offer limited benefits compared to animal proteins such as whey, particularly in acute recovery settings, a limitation well-documented consistently in the literature. However, our synthesis highlights that well-formulated plant protein blends (e.g., combinations of pea, rice, and canola) can stimulate MPS at levels comparable to whey when consumed at adequate doses (≥30 g with ~2.5 g leucine). Some studies also reported improvements in subjective recovery outcomes and reductions in muscle damage biomarkers with soy or pea protein. However, overall evidence remains limited by small sample sizes, moderate to high risk of bias, and heterogeneity in intervention protocols, protein formulations, and outcome measures. Risk of bias assessments revealed concerns related to detection and reporting bias in nearly half the studies. Due to clinical and methodological variability, a meta-analysis was not conducted. Conclusion: plant-based proteins particularly in the form of protein blends and when dosed appropriately, may support muscle recovery in resistance-trained individuals and offer a viable alternative to animal-based proteins. However, further high-quality, long-term trials in vegan populations are needed to establish definitive recommendations for plant protein use in sports nutrition.

Background/Objectives: Increasing evidence indicates that a vegetarian diet may provide renal protection and improve metabolic health in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, transitioning from an omnivorous to a vegetarian diet can be challenging. A more practical alternative could be to increase the consumption of plant protein. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the association between increased plant protein intake and adherence to a low-protein diet (LPD) and the effect on biochemical parameters, body composition, and muscle strength in patients with non-dialysis CKD stages 3–5. Methods: The daily dietary intake of 377 patients, aged 68.5 ± 12.1 years, was evaluated using a quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Plant protein intake percentage was calculated as (daily plant protein intake/total protein intake) × 100%, and the potential renal acid load (PRAL) was estimated. A LPD was defined as a diet with a daily protein intake of <0.8 g/kg of body weight. Anthropometric measurements, body composition, and handgrip strength were assessed in a subgroup comprising 260 patients. The lean tissue index (LTI) and fat tissue index (FTI) were calculated by dividing lean mass and fat mass (kg) by the height in m2, respectively. Results: Of the included 377 patients, 69.5% adhered to the LPD. Further, a 10% increase in plant protein intake was associated with a 20% increase in the likelihood of LPD adherence (OR, 1.20, 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.37), lower PRAL (β = −1.10 per 10% increase, 95% CI, −1.63 to −0.57), and higher serum bicarbonate levels (β = 0.24, 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.45). Analysis of the 260-patient subgroup revealed that a 10% increase in plant protein intake was associated with lower body mass index (β = −0.82, 95% CI, −1.05 to −0.59), FTI (β = −0.71, 95% CI, −1.01 to −0.40), waist circumference (β = −2.11, 95% CI, −2.80 to −1.41), hip circumference (β = −1.25, 95% CI, −1.75 to −0.75), waist-to-hip ratio (β = −0.91, 95% CI, −1.44 to −0.38), and waist-to-height ratio (β = −1.25, 95% CI, −1.71 to −0.80). There was no significant association between increased plant protein intake and LTI and handgrip strength. Conclusions: Increased intake of plant protein can reduce dietary acid load, alleviate metabolic acidosis, and potentially improve adiposity parameters without compromising lean mass and handgrip strength.

Background/Objectives: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased mortality, with cardiovascular disease (CVD) being the primary cause of death. Proper lipid regulation may reduce CVD risk and slow CKD progression. While there is evidence that a higher plant protein intake could ameliorate lipid levels in the general population, the effects of this dietary regimen within the CKD population remain uncertain, with studies providing conflicting results. We aim to investigate the impact of increased plant protein intake on the lipid levels of CKD patients. Methods: Two electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus) were reviewed for controlled clinical trials assessing the effect of increased plant protein intake versus the usual CKD animal-based diet in CKD patients, published until June 2024. Results: Eleven trials, encompassing 248 patients, were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, compared to the usually recommended CKD diet, increased plant protein intake was associated with statistically significant reductions in total cholesterol (−24.51 mg/dL, 95% CI −40.33, −8.69), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (−21.71 mg/dL, 95% CI −38.32, −5.1), triglycerides (− 21.88 mg/dL, 95% CI −35.34, −8.40), and Apolipoprotein B levels (−11.21 mg/dL, 95% CI −18.18, −4.25). No significant changes were observed in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (0.09 mg/dL, 95% CI −1.82, 1.99) and Apolipoprotein A levels (0.04 mg/dL, 95% CI −7.14, 7.21). Conclusions: Increased plant protein intake, mainly from soy, reduces total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, and ApoB in adult CKD patients. Further research is needed to assess these effects in dialysis patients and explore non-soy plant sources.

Background Few studies evaluated the effect of different proportions of dietary plant- and animal-based protein on metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its related biomarkers. Objective Considering the effect of various types of dietary sources of protein on metabolic health and inconsistent results, this study sought to examine the impact of partially substituting animal protein with plant protein in the diet on the components of MetS, atherogenic index of plasma, and serum adropin values. Methods In this parallel, randomized clinical trial with two arms, 73 participants with MetS were randomly allocated to one of two slightly calorie-restricted intervention diets with different proportions of protein sources, including a plant-based protein diet (70% plant-based protein and 30% animal-based protein) and an animal-based protein diet (30% plant-based protein and 70% animal-based protein) for 10 weeks. All analyses were performed based on both intention-to-treat and per-protocol principles. Results Mean age in the plant and animal-based protein groups was 44.0 ± 9.8 and 43.9 ± 9.8 years, respectively. Within each group, weight, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and atherogenic index of plasma significantly decreased, and adropin levels significantly increased after the intervention ( P  < 0.05). However, waist circumference (WC) and triglyceride (TG) levels showed a significant decrease only in the plant protein group, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) levels illustrated a significant increase only in the animal protein group ( P  < 0.05). Between-group differences in both crude and adjusted models did not show any significant changes between the two intervention arms ( P  > 0.05). However, findings of per-protocol analyses illustrated a significant difference only in mean adropin values in two study arms. Conclusion Our findings revealed that both diets based on plant and animal protein were associated with improved in anthropometric indices, MetS components, atherogenic index of plasma, and elevated serum adropin levels. Nevertheless, no statistically significant difference was identified between the two groups.

Plant-sourced proteins offer environmental and health benefits, and research increasingly includes them in study formulas. However, plant-based proteins have less of an anabolic effect than animal proteins due to their lower digestibility, lower essential amino acid content (especially leucine), and deficiency in other essential amino acids, such as sulfur amino acids or lysine. Thus, plant amino acids are directed toward oxidation rather than used for muscle protein synthesis. In this review, we evaluate the ability of plant- versus animal-based proteins to help maintain skeletal muscle mass in healthy and especially older people and examine different nutritional strategies for improving the anabolic properties of plant-based proteins. Among these strategies, increasing protein intake has led to a positive acute postprandial muscle protein synthesis response and even positive long-term improvement in lean mass. Increasing the quality of protein intake by improving amino acid composition could also compensate for the lower anabolic potential of plant-based proteins. We evaluated and discussed four nutritional strategies for improving the amino acid composition of plant-based proteins: fortifying plant-based proteins with specific essential amino acids, selective breeding, blending several plant protein sources, and blending plant with animal-based protein sources. These nutritional approaches need to be profoundly examined in older individuals in order to optimize protein intake for this population who require a high-quality food protein intake to mitigate age-related muscle loss.

The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of plant proteins (lupin protein or pea protein) and their combinations with soluble fibres (oat fibre or apple pectin) on plasma total and LDL-cholesterol levels. A randomised, double-blind, parallel group design was followed: after a 4-week run-in period, participants were randomised into seven treatment groups, each consisting of twenty-five participants. Each group consumed two bars containing specific protein/fibre combinations: the reference group consumed casein+cellulose; the second and third groups consumed bars containing lupin or pea proteins+cellulose; the fourth and fifth groups consumed bars containing casein and oat fibre or apple pectin; the sixth group and seventh group received bars containing combinations of pea protein and oat fibre or apple pectin, respectively. Bars containing lupin protein+cellulose ( − 116 mg/l, − 4·2 %), casein+apple pectin ( − 152 mg/l, − 5·3 %), pea protein+oat fibre ( − 135 mg/l, − 4·7 %) or pea protein+apple pectin ( − 168 mg/l, − 6·4 %) resulted in significant reductions of total cholesterol levels (P < 0·05), whereas no cholesterol changes were observed in the subjects consuming the bars containing casein+cellulose, casein+oat fibre or pea protein+cellulose. The present study shows the hypocholesterolaemic activity and potential clinical benefits of consuming lupin protein or combinations of pea protein and a soluble fibre, such as oat fibre or apple pectin.

A peanut-derived protein product, AR101, used in an oral desensitization protocol in children and adolescents with severe peanut allergy increased the amount of oral peanut protein tolerated in approximately two thirds of participants who received AR101, as compared with 1 of 25 controls.

Dietary avoidance is recommended for peanut allergies. We evaluated the sustained effects of peanut allergy oral immunotherapy (OIT) in a randomised long-term study in adults and children. In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 study, we enrolled participants at the Sean N Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University (Stanford, CA, USA) with peanut allergy aged 7–55 years with a positive result from a double-blind, placebo-controlled, food challenge (DBPCFC; ≤500 mg of peanut protein), a positive skin-prick test (SPT) result (≥5 mm wheal diameter above the negative control), and peanut-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E concentration of more than 4 kU/L. Participants were randomly assigned (2·4:1·4:1) in a two-by-two block design via a computerised system to be built up and maintained on 4000 mg peanut protein through to week 104 then discontinued on peanut (peanut-0 group), to be built up and maintained on 4000 mg peanut protein through to week 104 then to ingest 300 mg peanut protein daily (peanut-300 group) for 52 weeks, or to receive oat flour (placebo group). DBPCFCs to 4000 mg peanut protein were done at baseline and weeks 104, 117, 130, 143, and 156. The pharmacist assigned treatment on the basis of a randomised computer list. Peanut or placebo (oat) flour was administered orally and participants and the study team were masked throughout by use of oat flour that was similar in look and feel to the peanut flour and nose clips, as tolerated, to mask taste. The statistician was also masked. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants who passed DBPCFCs to a cumulative dose of 4000 mg at both 104 and 117 weeks. The primary efficacy analysis was done in the intention-to-treat population. Safety was assessed in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02103270. Between April 15, 2014, and March 2, 2016, of 152 individuals assessed, we enrolled 120 participants, who were randomly assigned to the peanut-0 (n=60), peanut-300 (n=35), and placebo groups (n=25). 21 (35%) of peanut-0 group participants and one (4%) placebo group participant passed the 4000 mg challenge at both 104 and 117 weeks (odds ratio [OR] 12·7, 95% CI 1·8–554·8; p=0·0024). Over the entire study, the most common adverse events were mild gastrointestinal symptoms, which were seen in 90 of 120 patients (50/60 in the peanut-0 group, 29/35 in the peanut-300 group, and 11/25 in the placebo group) and skin disorders, which were seen in 50/120 patients (26/60 in the peanut-0 group, 15/35 in the peanut-300 group, and 9/25 in the placebo group). Adverse events decreased over time in all groups. Two participants in the peanut groups had serious adverse events during the 3-year study. In the peanut-0 group, in which eight (13%) of 60 participants passed DBPCFCs at week 156, higher baseline peanut-specific IgG4 to IgE ratio and lower Ara h 2 IgE and basophil activation responses were associated with sustained unresponsiveness. No treatment-related deaths occurred. Our study suggests that peanut OIT could desensitise individuals with peanut allergy to 4000 mg peanut protein but discontinuation, or even reduction to 300 mg daily, could increase the likelihood of regaining clinical reactivity to peanut. Since baseline blood tests correlated with week 117 treatment outcomes, this study might aid in optimal patient selection for this therapy. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

With an ageing population, dietary approaches to promote health and independence later in life are needed. In part, this can be achieved by maintaining muscle mass and strength as people age. New evidence suggests that current dietary recommendations for protein intake may be insufficient to achieve this goal and that individuals might benefit by increasing their intake and frequency of consumption of high-quality protein. However, the environmental effects of increasing animal-protein production are a concern, and alternative, more sustainable protein sources should be considered. Protein is known to be more satiating than other macronutrients, and it is unclear whether diets high in plant proteins affect the appetite of older adults as they should be recommended for individuals at risk of malnutrition. The review considers the protein needs of an ageing population (>40 years old), sustainable protein sources, appetite-related implications of diets high in plant proteins, and related areas for future research.