"Measure daily totals, not single-meal absorption windows A key reason animal protein was thought superior to plant protein for muscle synthesis was that studies measuring just a 2-hour post-meal window showed higher muscle protein synthesis from animal sources. Researcher Luke van Loon's lab tested whether that short-term difference persisted over a full day: in a 10-day crossover trial with elderly subjects eating either an omnivorous or fully vegan diet, 'they found no significant differences in muscle protein synthesis' over 24 hours. Hill explains the mechanism: 'fiber and other components in plant protein delays the absorption of amino acids, but that doesn't result in less muscle protein synthesis over time if you follow that signal for longer.' The practical takeaway is to be skeptical of any nutrition claim based solely on short-window biomarker studies — what matters is the sustained daily response, not the acute spike. Source: Simon Hill, Rich Roll Podcast, 2025 Dietary Guidelines Deep Dive"