4. Discussion
MPS
RECRUITMENT
The present study aimed to compare the potential additional effect of chia flour, whey protein, and a placebo juice to an 8-week whole-body resistance training program on FFM and strength gains in untrained young men. Similar increases in FFM and strength were observed following the intervention in all three groups. The present study emphasizes the following points related to resistance training and protein supplementation: (1) optimal protein intake, i.e., 1.3–1.4 g/kg/d, ensures chronic adaptive responses to resistance training; (2) addition of plant or animal protein to a high protein mixed diet does not result in additional muscle anabolism in untrained men; (3) chia flour as a source of protein and Chia is a high-protein plant source with a high amino acid quality profile compared to other plant proteins and is easily digestible [Here, we did not find any additional effect of either chia or whey protein on FFM and strength gains after 8-week resistance training compared to a placebo. The lack of effect of our two protein supplements might be explained by sufficient EAAs and leucine provision for optimizing MPS after resistance exercise through the habitual high protein diet in the present study. Of note, the recruitment of the participants was not based on the protein content in their diet. The high protein content of 1.3–1.4 g/kg/d reflects the usual protein intake in young active but not specifically resistance-trained men in Chile. This high protein intake was found after the completion of the study when the dietary record was analyzed for each participant. This high daily protein intake could have limited and even masked the potential effects of chia and whey supplementation, a phenomenon described as the muscle full hypothesis [In addition to being rich in protein, chia presents a high To the best of our knowledge, only one study has investigated the combined effect of a high-protein diet and Here, this is the first study comparing the effects of chia flour as a plant-based supplement rich in protein and Our study is a novel, well-controlled clinical trial and the first to investigate the anabolic effects of chia flour after a resistance training program in young untrained males. However, this study is not without limitations. First, we did not assess 