Essential Amino Acids Supplementation and Muscle Protein Synthesis

Phase 1

Completed

• Conditions: Muscle Loss; Muscle Anabolism
• Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Essential Amino Acids; Other: Endurance exercise

• Registration Number: NCT01366924
• Lead Sponsor: United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine

Brief Summary

The modern warfighter faces numerous physiological challenges including sleep deprivation, sustained intense physical activity, and caloric restriction, the combined effects of which may result in the loss of lean body mass and decreased physical performance. Dietary interventions may help preserve lean body mass and facilitate recovery from periods of intense physical demand. For example, dietary strategies that increase amino acid availability have been shown to stimulate protein synthesis in skeletal muscle following resistance exercise. Because military tasks also incorporate endurance exercise components, studies regarding the effects of increasing dietary amino acids following endurance exercise are warranted. The objectives of this study are to characterize the effect of endurance exercise on protein synthesis and breakdown as well as the ability of an essential amino acid supplement to influence skeletal muscle protein metabolism and its cellular and molecular regulation following endurance exercise.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2007-05
• Primary Completion: 2010-07
• Study Completion: 2010-07
• Status Verified: 2011-06
• Study First Submitted: 2011-06-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2011-06-02
• Study First Posted: 2011-06-06
• Last Update Submitted: 2017-07-19
• Last Update Posted: 2017-07-21

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 23

Inclusion Criteria

• Men and women aged 18 - 35 years
• Weight stable
• Recreationally active with VO2max of 40 - 50 ml/kg/min
• Refrain from taking any NSAIDS or any aspirin-containing medications
• Supervisor approval if a federal employee

Exclusion Criteria

• Disease or medication that affects macronutrient metabolism and/or the ability to participate in strenuous exercise
• Allergies to foods or medications (including, but not limited to, lidocaine or phenylalanine) to be utilized in the study
• Abnormal PT/PTT test or problems with blood clotting
• Present condition of alcoholism or other substance abuse that compromises exercise capacity
• Musculoskeletal injuries that compromise the ability to exercise
• Pregnancy

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Muscle metabolism after endurance exercise	Endurance exercise	Post-exercise muscle protein metabolism was measured to determine if endurance exercise affects muscle metabolism compared to rest.
Muscle Metabolism after endurance exercise	Essential Amino Acids	Muscle metabolism response to endurance exercise with essential amino acid supplementation
Muscle metabolism after endurance exercise	Essential Amino Acids	Post-exercise muscle protein metabolism was measured to determine if endurance exercise affects muscle metabolism compared to rest.
Muscle anabolism after endurance exercise	Essential Amino Acids	Muscle anabolism after endurance exercise with essential amino acid supplementation.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in muscle protein synthesis after exercise or exercise with amino acid supplementation.	An average change over a 210 minute recovery period from a 60 minute endurance exercise session

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in intracellular signaling after exercise or exercise with amino acid supplementation.	At 30 minutes and 210 minutes after a 60 minute endurance exercise session

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine; 🇺🇸 Natick, Massachusetts, United States

Tufts University; 🇺🇸 Boston, Massachusetts, United States