Quorn® Mycoprotein found to promote muscle growth at a greater extent compared to milk protein, providing a meat-free option to meet nutritional needs.
Quorn®, the world leader in meat-free food, announced on 5th August 2019 at the quadrennial Asian Congress of Nutrition 2019, that a study on Quorn® Mycoprotein revealed higher extent of resting and post-exercise muscle growth stimulation than milk protein.
The comprehensive study, led by the University of Exeter, was conducted on 20 young men, and each of the men, who were all fit and healthy, did a weightlifting exercise with their legs. They drank one of two types of protein and had their muscle-building tracked. The results showed that, after drinking the Mycoprotein supplement, muscle growth was found to be more than 120 per cent faster than without any added protein. At the same time, growth was only 60 per cent faster if the men had been given the milk protein.
This study complements existing research on Mycoprotein absorption by the body being as efficient as milk, which is considered the nutritional gold standard.
Quorn® and its novel Mycoprotein products continue to gain popularity in Singapore and around the world, due to its nutritional profile and potential in the area of disease prevention (cholesterol, obesity, diabetes), sports performance and healthy aging. This is especially important in Singapore, where 1.7 million citizens were found to be susceptible to developing diseases related to obesity, such as heart diseases and diabetes, according to a national study by the Health Promotion Board.
“Supporting Singapore’s ‘30 by 30’ vision to boost the availability of protein sources and strengthen the resilience of its nutritional food supply, this timely study shows us that Mycoprotein is well placed to fill the gap in the diets of Singaporeans,” said Andy Kusumo, Director of Science and Technology, Quorn®. “Against the global backdrop of meat agriculture posing a serious problem to our environment today, we’re witnessing the rise of the conscious consumer where more people are becoming aware of the impact of their consumption habits. Quorn® is proud to be offering a meat-free protein alternative that can provide exceptional nutrition and muscle growth, all while being sustainable for the environment.”
“These results are very encouraging when we consider the desire of some individuals to choose non-animal derived sources of protein to support muscle mass maintenance or adaptations with training. Our data show that Mycoprotein can stimulate muscles to grow faster in the hours following exercise compared with a typical animal comparator protein (milk protein) – we look forward to seeing whether these mechanistic findings translate to longer term training studies in various populations,” said Benjamin Wall, Associate Professor of Nutritional Physiology, University of Exeter.
Made from a natural fungus, known as fusarium venenatum, Mycoprotein represents a nutritious alternative protein source with multiple health benefits, a more sustainable impact on the environment, compared to animal-derived sources. [APBN]