Military study finds pork protein aids recovery

The type of protein you eat after intense physical training can significantly impact recovery, according to new research from Texas A&M University’s Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management.

The study, led by Richard Kreider, a researcher with over 30 years of experience studying creatine and sports nutrition, examined how different protein sources in military-style meals ready-to-eat affected recovery in members of Texas A&M’s Corps of Cadets after completing the Army Combat Fitness Test.

Creatine — a compound stored in muscle and essential for cellular energy production and recovery — is most abundant in animal-based protein like meat and fish. While the recommended daily intake ranges from 2 to 4 grams, depending on muscle mass and activity level, most individuals fall short, especially those following vegetarian or vegan diets. Combined with a lack of essential amino acids, this can make recovery after intense training difficult for vegetarians and vegans. 

The 2023 MRE meal plan includes nine plant-based options and 14 animal-based menus, with only one featuring pork as the primary protein. Because pork is particularly rich in both creatine and essential amino acids, researchers compared recovery outcomes between pork-based and plant-based MREs to determine whether protein source influences recovery.

“Our concern was that if we’re expecting our military to perform at their best and they’re consuming plant-based MREs, we have to make sure those meals provide enough essential amino acids and creatine to meet daily needs,” Kreider said.

Researchers from the Exercise and Sport Nutrition Laboratory tracked members of the Corps of Cadets — the largest uniformed student body in the nation outside of the military academies — who consumed pork-based or plant-based protein after completing the Army Combat Fitness Test, a rigorous battery of sprints, drag pulls, weightlifting and other exercises designed to assess combat readiness. In a tightly controlled four-day protocol, participants were fed a pre-exercise meal before completing the fitness test. They then consumed standardized MREs — either pork-based or plant-based — three times daily for the next three days.