Mountain gorillas can build impressive muscle mass by eating almost exclusively leaves, shoots, and stems. Scientists note that their example shows that meat is not necessary to build a strong body, according to a study published in ScienceDaily.
Regardless of the vegetarian diet, adult male gorillas can weigh up to 180 kilograms. They get the protein they need for muscle growth from plants, and their unique digestive system helps them digest food efficiently.
Their enlarged colon, home to billions of bacteria and other microorganisms, plays an important role. They break down the fiber that gorillas cannot digest on their own. The fermentation process produces short-chain fatty acids: acetate, propionate, and butyrate, which are absorbed through the intestinal wall and serve as an additional energy source.
Moreover, the intestinal microbiota helps to extract nutrients from plants as efficiently as possible, providing the body with amino acids necessary for building muscle tissue.
Humans also produce short-chain fatty acids when gut bacteria digest fiber. These acids are obtained from legumes, oats, fruits and other plant foods. However, the human digestive system is significantly less adapted to processing large volumes of plant material than the intestines of gorillas.
The researchers emphasize that these results do not mean that humans can copy the diet of primates. Unlike gorillas, vegetarians and vegans should get their protein from more concentrated plant sources: legumes, soy, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. According to scientists, it is the combination of a specialized digestive system and a healthy gut microbiota that allows gorillas to maintain impressive muscle mass without eating meat.
