Patrick DenardDirector Oregon Shoulder Fellowship, Oregon Shoulder Institute · Director Oregon Shoulder Fellowship at Oregon Shoulder Institute

Why ‘plant protein’ can be misleading for recovery

24 Mar 2026 · 1 min

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In this brief talk, an orthopedic surgeon explains why he recommends whey protein for patients recovering from surgery. He notes that after surgery the body’s protein demand rises, especially for essential amino acids that drive muscle synthesis. Plant‑based proteins generally contain lower levels of leucine, a key amino acid for stimulating muscle growth, so older patients—who are more dependent on adequate leucine—may not get sufficient amounts from standard plant protein servings. While younger athletes can meet their needs with plant protein, older individuals would need to consume a larger dose to match the leucine provided by whey. Consequently, the surgeon advises using whey protein when tolerated, emphasizing the importance of considering amino‑acid content rather than simply the protein source for optimal recovery.

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Why do I advocate whey protein as an orthopedic surgeon for people recovering from surgery? Well, plant protein isn't wrong, it's just different. And when it comes down to this, this is about amino acids. After surgery, your body has increased protein needs, especially the need for amino acids. And one of the key things is that plant-based protein has lower amino acids, in particular leucine, which is very important for muscle synthesis. So data shows that while younger athletes can do quite well with plant-based protein, It turns out in older individuals, that amino acid content is really, really important. So both can work, but if you have plant protein, you need to take a higher dosage to get the same amount of amino acids. And that's why I really encourage whey protein if people tolerate it. So if you're having surgery, know somebody who is, really think about the amino acid content and save this information for them.