Background
Plant-based proteins have received considerable attention as a more sustainable alternative to animal-based proteins, and are now frequently used in sports nutrition. However, little information is available on the anabolic properties of potato-derived protein. This study compared post-prandial muscle protein synthesis rates following the ingestion of 30 g potato protein and 30 g milkprotein at rest and during recovery from a single bout of resistance exercise in vivo, in healthy, young males.

Methods
In a randomized, double blind, parallel-group design, 24 healthy young males (24±4 y) received a primed continuous L-[ring-¹³C₆]-phenylalanine infusion and ingested 30 g potato protein (POTATO) or 30 g milk protein (MILK) following a single bout of unilateral resistance exercise. Blood and muscle biopsies were collected for 5 h following protein ingestion to assess post-prandial plasma amino acid profiles and mixed muscle protein synthesis rates. Data were analyzed with 2-way repeated measures ANOVA and independent samples t-test.

Results
Protein ingestion increased plasma essential amino acid concentrations (P<0.001), with an attenuated rise being observed in the POTATO vs MILK treatment (incremental area under curve: 108±20 vs 129±29 mmol∙5 h∙L^-1, respectively; P<0.05). Ingestion of both potato and milk protein increased mixed muscle protein synthesis rates (P<0.001), with no differences between treatments in the rested leg (0.053±0.017 vs 0.050±0.012 %∙h^-1, respectively; P=0.54) or exercised leg (0.069±0.019 vs 0.064±0.015 %∙h^-1, respectively; P=0.52). The muscle protein synthetic response was greater in the exercised leg when compared with the resting, control leg (P<0.05).

Conclusions
The ingestion of 30 g potato protein increases muscle protein synthesis rates at rest and during recovery from exercise, to an extent not different from the ingestion of an equivalent amount of milk protein in healthy young males. Potato derived protein is an effective vegan protein alternative to support skeletal muscle conditioning during recovery from exercise.