Unconventional Sustenance – Peanut Protein

Protein is one of the three macronutrients, essential for the proper functioning of our body. It is made of amino acids that are the building blocks of all tissues in our body. These amino acids can also serve as initiators of building processes in cells. Protein supplementation is essentially a highly concentrated source of protein. It is particularly important for those leading an active lifestyle as they have a greater need for protein, resulting from catabolic processes intensified during intense exercise. Consuming protein supplements brings a long list of benefits that can contribute to fat loss, muscle mass development, and strength improvement. These benefits include: reducing hunger by stabilizing blood sugar levels, improving insulin sensitivity, and accelerating metabolism by stimulating postprandial thermogenesis. Different types of protein supplements, despite having similar amino acid composition, can act differently on the human body. An example of this are whey and casein supplements, where the former are characterized by fast absorption and stimulate whole-body protein synthesis, while the latter are absorbed more slowly and inhibit whole-body protein degradation. Therefore, it is important for any supplement to conduct empirical studies, evaluate its absorption kinetics, and compare it with other products available on the market.

The most popular type of dietary supplement is whey protein, whose effectiveness has been confirmed by numerous studies and millions of user reviews. Dietary supplements containing pea protein cannot compete with this popularity. Until 2015, we did not have any studies to test their effectiveness. In 2015, Nicolas Babault and Christos Paizis published the results of their experiment, in which they compared two types of dietary supplements and their effects on the composition and strength of the muscle fibers. The protein fractions studied were pea protein isolate and whey protein isolate. Both types, although they come from two different sources, had a high content of branched-chain amino acids, including leucine. Altogether, 161 healthy and young individuals participated in the study. All participants were assigned to one of three groups: the group receiving the pea protein supplement, the group receiving the whey protein supplement, and the placebo group receiving a powder with similar consistency, which was primarily made up of maltodextrin. The study lasted 12 weeks, during which the participants completed three sessions of strength training per week. The results of the study were surprising and controversial. Muscle mass was increased by +20.2%, +15.6% and +8.6% respectively for the group with pea protein, whey protein, and placebo. It seems that pea protein is even better compared to whey protein, however, the difference between these two supplements was not statistically significant, which means that their influence on muscle anabolism was very similar.

The empirical research presented in this article indicates that a dietary supplement containing pea protein is as effective as a proven whey protein. It is always advisable to avoid drawing definitive conclusions based on a single investigation, and in the future we should anticipate the confirmation of these findings by another research team. At present, pea protein appears to be a beneficial alternative for vegans or individuals with lactose intolerance.