It’s very common to assume that group-level findings from research will reliably predict how you (or your clients) will respond to a particular training strategy, but that’s not always the case. In today’s episode, Greg discusses the substantial amount of inter-individual variability observed in responses to training interventions, and how to navigate training decisions in light of these hard-to-predict differences among individuals. After that, Eric discusses protein quality: what it is, what affects it, and how much it does (or doesn’t) matter from a practical perspective. His segment summarizes the research directly comparing a wide range of protein sources, and provides practical strategies for protein source selection in vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous diets.

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TIME STAMPS

Intro/Announcements (0:00)

Greg’s segment: Individual responses versus group responses in resistance training (10:25)

The importance of assessing individual-level responses (12:43)

Study: Different Load Intensity Transition Schemes to Avoid Plateau and No-Response in Lean Body Mass Gain in Postmenopausal Women.  (17:40)

Broader discussion of individual-level responses and variation from person-to-person (24:19)

What has worked atypically well for Greg and Eric? (33:06)

Eric’s segment: protein quality (40:40)

When you think about consuming raw eggs, what comes to mind? (40:46)

Overview of protein quality (47:47)

• Protein – Which is Best?

Digestibility of raw versus cooked eggs (49:24)

• Digestibility of Cooked and Raw Egg Protein in Humans as Assessed by Stable Isotope Techniques

Study: Raw Eggs to Support Post-Exercise Recovery in Healthy Young Men: Did Rocky Get It Right or Wrong? (50:42)

• Raw Eggs to Support Post-Exercise Recovery in Healthy Young Men: Did Rocky Get It Right or Wrong?

The “chain of assumptions” between protein quality, blood amino acid response, muscle protein synthesis response, and long-term hypertrophy (58:26)

Amino acid profiles of various protein sources (1:01:30)

• The Skeletal Muscle Anabolic Response to Plant- versus Animal-Based Protein Consumption

Directly comparing high-quality versus low-quality protein sources (1:05:42)

• Protein Source and Quality for Skeletal Muscle Anabolism in Young and Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
• Animal Protein versus Plant Protein in Supporting Lean Mass and Muscle Strength: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
• Making Sense of Muscle Protein Synthesis: A Focus on Muscle Growth During Resistance Training
• A mycoprotein-based high-protein vegan diet supports equivalent daily myofibrillar protein synthesis rates compared with an isonitrogenous omnivorous diet in older adults: a randomised controlled trial
• High-Protein Plant-Based Diet Versus a Protein-Matched Omnivorous Diet to Support Resistance Training Adaptations: A Comparison Between Habitual Vegans and Omnivores

Flipping the “chain of assumptions” (1:14:03)

How much protein comes from plant-based sources in an omnivorous diet? (1:16:58)

• The Skeletal Muscle Anabolic Response to Plant- versus Animal-Based Protein Consumption

Complementary proteins and practical applications related to selection of protein sources (1:20:43)

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