The Importance of Non-essential Amino Acids for Maintaining Skeletal Muscle Protein Synthesis Rates in Healthy Young Men
- Conditions
- Healthy Males
- Registration Number
- NCT06687343
- Lead Sponsor
- Maastricht University Medical Center
- Brief Summary
Background: Protein intake is important for maintaining skeletal muscle mass. These proteins consist of a collection of small building blocks which are called amino acids. There are two types of amino acids that are needed to build muscle: essential amino acids (EAA) and non-essential amino acids (NEAA). EAAs cannot be made in the body and must be consumed through foods, while NEAAs can be made within the body. However, if NEAA are not consumed through foods, the process of making NEAA in the body costs the body energy. It is still unknown what the impact of a diet containing too few non-essential amino acids is for muscle building and the body's energy metabolism.
Objective: To determine if a diet lacking NEAA, with or without being replaced by additional EAA, influences muscle protein building and whole-body metabolism.
Study design: Randomized, parallel design, double-blind, 10-day dietary intervention study.
Study population: 45 healthy (BMI 22-30 kg/m2) young males (age: 18-35 y inclusive).
Hypothesis: It is hypothesized that a diet lacking NEAA, with or without being replaced by additional EAA, decreases muscle protein building in humans.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- RECRUITING
- Sex
- Male
- Target Recruitment
- 64
- Male
- Age between 18 and 35 y inclusive
- BMI between 22 and 30 kg/m2
- Non-smoker
- Having given informed consent
- Participating in a structured (progressive) exercise program
- Smoker
- Diagnosed GI tract disorders or diseases
- Diagnosed musculoskeletal disorders
- Diagnosed metabolic disorders (e.g. diabetes)
- Cardiovascular disease
- Hypertension (blood pressure above 140/90 mmHg)
- Donated blood 3 months prior to test day
- Use of any medications known to affect protein metabolism (i.e. corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories).
- Chronic use of gastric acid suppressing medication
- Chronic use of anti-coagulants
- Any intolerance to foods included in the standardized diet intervention
- Any implants that would be a contra-indication for performing an MRI scan
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Integrated skeletal muscle protein fractional synthesis rates 10 days Calculated by the change in deuterium labelled alanine in skeletal muscle protein
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Integrated skin protein fractional synthesis rates 10 days Calculated by the change in deuterium labelled alanine in skin protein
Muscle mass Baseline, 10 days Measured using Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Body fat composition Baseline, 10 days Measured using MRI
Resting energy expenditure Baseline, 10 days Measured using indirect calorimetry
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure Baseline, 5 days, 10 days Measured using automated device
Resting heart rate Baseline, 5 days, 10 days Measured using automated device
Plasma amino acids Baseline, 5 days, 10 days Measured in plasma samples
Blood metabolites Baseline, 5 days, 10 days Assessed in plasma and serum samples
Urine metabolites Baseline, 5 days, 10 days Measured in fasted urine samples
Skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiration Baseline, 10 days Measured in skeletal muscle tissue collected from muscle biopsy
Skeletal muscle signalling pathways Baseline, 10 days Measured in skeletal muscle tissue from muscle biopsy
Body mass Baseline, 5 days, 10 days Assessed using scale
Dietary protein intake 10 days Assessed by calculating the actual intakes from the provided diet
Dietary fat intake 10 days Assessed by calculating the actual intakes from the provided diet
Dietary carbohydrate intake 10 days Assessed by calculating the actual intakes from the provided diet
Liver fat Baseline, 10 days Measured using MRI
Body lean mass composition Baseline, 10 days Measured using MRI
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Maastricht University Medical Center
🇳🇱Maastricht, Netherlands