Can You Build Muscle on a Vegan Diet?

3 days ago
5 min read

אישה מחייכת בעמידת ידיים על רקע קיר גרפיטי

My First Time on Stage — And the Vegan Question

I still remember the moment I stepped on stage for the first time.It was at the NABBA Israel Bodybuilding Championship.

The announcer called my name as “Miss Bikini – 30+ category.”But he didn’t just say my name. He also mentioned that I’m vegan, and that I’m proof that it’s possible to achieve impressive results on a plant-based diet.

Until that moment, I hadn’t realized how many people truly believe that building muscle on a plant-based diet is impossible.

Only through the lens of the bodybuilding world did I understand how many people are hesitant to move toward a diet that doesn’t include animal protein.

In TV interviews, I kept being asked the same questions:“What about protein deficiency?”“How do you get enough protein?”

In this blog post, I’ll address all of that. First, Let’s Understand What Protein Is

Protein is an essential nutrient that makes up a large portion of our bodies.It is built from amino acids.

There are more than 200 amino acids in nature, but only 20 are relevant for human physiology.

These amino acids can be divided into two groups:

Essential amino acids — about 9 of them (even more are considered essential during childhood).These cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained from food.

Non-essential amino acids — which the body can produce on its own.

How Much Protein Do We Need?

I always recommend working with a qualified nutritionist, who can see the full picture of your process and your needs.

However, according to current recommendations from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) for healthy adults (excluding children, teenagers, and older populations):

0.8–1 g protein per kg body weight for sedentary individuals
1.2–2 g protein per kg body weight for athletes and active individuals
2–3 g protein per kg body weight for lean athletes who want to preserve muscle mass and performance while reducing body fat or maintaining a very lean physique
Is Animal Protein Better Than Plant Protein?
A common belief is that animal protein is higher quality than plant protein.
There is some basis for this claim.
Animal protein generally contains all essential amino acids in sufficient amounts, whereas plant protein sources sometimes contain lower amounts of one or more amino acids.
Most often, the limiting amino acid is lysine or methionine.
So what does that mean?Does it mean that on a plant-based diet we can’t get all the amino acids our bodies need?
Not at all.
It is actually rare to completely lack essential amino acids in plant foods. In practice, eating slightly larger amounts of protein-rich plant foods usually provides more than enough of all essential amino acids.
A good example is legumes, which contain relatively high amounts of protein — especially foods like soybeans or lupin beans.

What I Focused On Before Protein

Before I focused on how much protein I eat, I focused on training.

I worked on:

my workouts
my technique
finding the nutrition and routine that worked best for me

Only once I became consistent with those things did I start seeing real changes and progress in building muscle mass.

And only then did I actually need to increase my protein intake.

So before you rush to increase protein intake, ask yourself what process you are actually going through.

If possible, find a professional who can guide you.

Always remember that nutrition should support resistance training and an active lifestyle.

Protein supplementation can certainly help — but it is not the core of the process. It is just one part of a much bigger and more personal picture.

Research on Plant-Based Diets and Athletic Performance

A comprehensive review on vegetarian and vegan diets and sports performance was recently published by the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN).

Below is a summary of that review, courtesy of the EVB – Talking Fitness and Nutrition group, written by Eldad Uzman.

Key Points from the Review

1. Vegan diets have become increasingly common in recent years and receive growing attention.

2. The review describes different levels of vegetarian diets.The lowest level (flexitarian) occasionally consumes animal foods, including meat.The most restrictive level (fruitarian) relies mainly on fruits, vegetables, and seeds.

3. Vegans tend to consume fewer calories than non-vegans.Too little energy intake may negatively affect performance — especially among stricter plant-based diets.

4. Vegans also tend to consume less protein than non-vegans, which may influence performance.

The review discusses the quality differences in plant protein, particularly the lower levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), especially leucine.

However, legumes are highlighted as excellent protein sources, and adequate leucine intake can be achieved from foods such as soy and lentils.

Other amino acids can be obtained from seeds, nuts, and chickpeas, meaning that a varied plant-based diet can provide a complete amino acid profile.

5. Protein Digestibility

The review notes that the leading measure of protein quality today is the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS).

Plant proteins generally receive lower DIAAS scores than animal proteins.

Therefore, the recommendation for vegans is to consume slightly higher protein intake:

1.4–2 g/kg body weight in neutral or caloric surplus diets
1.8–2.7 g/kg body weight in caloric deficit diets

6. Carbohydrates

Vegan diets tend to be higher in carbohydrates, so inadequate carbohydrate intake is usually not a concern.

Daily consumption of lentils, beans, and grains is recommended.

However, very high-fiber foods can create fullness and make it harder to consume enough calories or protein.

In such cases, lower-fiber carbohydrate sources like pasta, rice, and noodles can help.

7. Fat Intake

Vegan diets tend to be lower in saturated fat and higher in omega-6 fatty acids.

Although low-fat diets may reduce testosterone levels in men, studies have not found statistically significant differences in testosterone levels between vegans and non-vegans.

Recommended fat intake:0.5–1.5 g per kg body weight per day(or about 30% of total daily calories).

8. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Vegans may be at risk of lower omega-3 intake, and plant omega-3 sources convert inefficiently to EPA and DHA.

Therefore, supplementation of 1–2 grams per day, with a 2:1 EPA to DHA ratio, is recommended.

9. Potential Micronutrient Deficiencies

Vegans may need to monitor:

Vitamin B12 – supplementation recommended
Iron – intake may need to increase by about 80%
Zinc – absorption can be reduced due to phytic acid; soaking, sprouting, or fermenting foods may improve availability
Calcium – vegans tend to consume about 50% less calcium than non-vegans
Iodine – intake may be too low or too high depending on food choices
Vitamin D – plant-based vitamin D (D2) is less bioavailable than D3