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Whey vs Casein to Combat Post-inflammatory Protein and Muscle Waste in Acute Disease

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Whey
Milk Protein
Metabolism
Casein
Muscle Protein Synthesis
Endotoxemia
Nutrition
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: Leucine-enriched whey
Dietary Supplement: Casein
Dietary Supplement: Whey
Registration Number
NCT03319550
Lead Sponsor
University of Aarhus
Brief Summary

This study compares three different protein supplements (casein, whey and leucine-enriched whey) and their effect on post-inflammatory muscle waste in a model of acute disease. Each test person will undergo all three interventions.

It is believed that leucine is the primary driver of muscle protein synthesis and therefore we hypothesize that leucine-enriched whey and whey are superior to casein in combating post-inflammatory muscle waste, because of its higher leucine content (16%, 11% and 9% leucine, respectively).

Detailed Description

Background:

Acute illness is accompanied by infection/inflammation, anorexia and immobilization all contributing to muscle loss, making nutritional supplement optimization an obvious target for investigation and eventually clinical intervention. In the clinical setting large heterogenicity among patients complicates investigations of muscle metabolism during acute illness. Therefore we introduce a disease model by combining "Inflammation + 36 hour fast and bedrest". Inflammation/febrile illness will be initiated by using the well-established "human endotoxemia model" with a bolus injection of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS), known to cause inflammation comparable with the initial phase of sepsis. The amino acid leucine has shown to be particularly anabolic in performance sports, but little is known about its potential beneficial effects during acute illness. Leucine is a powerful activator of muscle protein synthesis and it seems that protein supplements with the highest leucine content elicit a greater increase in protein synthesis than those with a smaller fraction of leucine.

The protein supplements used most in hospitals contain casein derived protein, which has a much lower leucine content than the whey protein compounds typically used in performance sports.

This study compares three different protein supplements.The study is an open, randomized crossover trial. Laboratory technicians, test subjects and investigators will be blinded.

Interventions:

I. LPS (1 ng/kg as bolus) + 36 h fasting + 36 h bedrest + Casein (9% leucine) II. LPS (1 ng/kg as bolus) + 36 h fasting + 36 h bedrest + Whey (11% leucine) III. LPS (1 ng/kg as bolus) + 36 h fasting + 36 h bedrest + Leucine-enriched whey (16% leucine)

The test objects will be given 0,6 g protein/kg, 1/3 as a bolus and 2/3 as sipping over a period of 3,5 hour. Muscle metabolism will be investigated by phenylalanine tracer using the forearm model and total protein metabolism using a carbamide tracer. Through muscle biopsies intracellular signalling pathways will be investigated.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Male
Target Recruitment
10
Inclusion Criteria
  • Healthy Male
  • Age between 20-40
  • BMI between 20-30
  • Normal health examination and blood samples
  • Written informed consent
Read More
Exclusion Criteria
  • Immobilisation of an extremity, unless a doctor has declared it fully rehabilitated.
  • Allergy against lidocain or latex.
  • The use of anabolic steroids
  • Disease like: Diabetes, epilepsia, infection, cardiovascular disease.
Read More

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
CROSSOVER
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Leucine-enriched wheyLeucine-enriched whey"LPS + 36 hour fast and bedrest" + Leucine-enriched whey (16% leucine) - 0.6 g protein/kg bodyweight, 1/3 as bolus and 2/3 as sipping
CaseinCasein"LPS + 36 hour fast and bedrest" + Casein (9% leucine) - 0.6 g protein/kg bodyweight, 1/3 as bolus and 2/3 as sipping.
WheyWhey"LPS + 36 hour fast and bedrest" + Whey (11% leucine) - 0.6 g protein/kg bodyweight, 1/3 as bolus and 2/3 as sipping
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in muscle phenylalanine netbalance over the forearm muscleChange from baseline to 3.5 hours after intervention

Changes of muscle phenylalanine net balance (= arterio(phe conc)-venous(phe conc) x flow) from baseline to 3.5 hours after intervention using the forearm model

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Blood enrichment of essential amino acidsAt baseline and every 30 minutes during the intervention period (3.5 hours)

measures of essential amino acids in the blood

Changes in insulin concentrationsAt baseline and every 30 minutes during the intervention period (3.5 hours)

Measures of insulin concentration in blood

Changes in IL-6 profile upon repeated LPS exposureMeasured at baseline and 1, 2, 4, 6 and 24 hours after LPS (6-8 weeks between visit 1,2 and 3)

IL-6 blood concentrations

Change in Intracellular signalling in muscle measured by western blotting.Change from baseline and after 2 hours of intervention

Investigating intracellular activity of muscle metabolism pathways by western blotting.

Energy expenditureAt baseline and after 2.5 hours of intervention

Using indirect calorimetry for 15 min

Changes in Glucose, fat and protein oxidation ratesAt baseline and after 2.5 hours of intervention

Using indirect calorimetry for 15 min for measuring glucose- (mg/kg/min), fat- (mg/kg/min) and protein oxidation (mg/kg/min)

Changes in Glucagon concentrationsChange from baseline and to 1 hour and 3.5 hour after the intervention

Glucagon concentrations in blood

Changes in temperature profile upon repeated LPS exposureMeasured at baseline and 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 24 hours after LPS (6-8 weeks between visit 1,2 and 3)

Axillary temperature (celcius)

Changes in symptom score profile upon repeated LPS exposureMeasured at baseline and 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 24 hours after LPS (6-8 weeks between visit 1,2 and 3)

symptom score (from 0-5) for nausea, back pain, muscle pain, headache and chills. 0=no symptoms, 5=severe symptoms.

Change in whole body protein metabolism measured by a combination of phenylalanine- and tyrosine tracerChange from baseline to 3.5 hours after intervention

Changes in whole body protein synthesis rates (umol/kg/h), breakdown rates (umol/kg/h), phenylalanine to tyrosine conversion rates (umol/kg/h) and net balance (umol/kg/h)

Changes in GLP-1 concentrationsChange from baseline and to 1 hour and 3.5 hour after the intervention

GLP-1 concentrations in blood

Changes in heart rate profile upon repeated LPS exposureMeasured at baseline and 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 24 hours after LPS (6-8 weeks between visit 1,2 and 3)

heart rate (beats/min)

Changes in TNfalfa profile upon repeated LPS exposureMeasured at baseline and 1, 2, 4, 6 and 24 hours after LPS (6-8 weeks between visit 1,2 and 3)

TNfalfa blood concentrations

Change in muscle breakdown and synthesis rates measured by phenylalanine tracerChange from baseline to 3.5 hours after intervention

changes from baseline to 3.5 hours after intervention in Ra(phe)=breakdown (umol/kg/h) and Rd(phe)=synthesis rate (umol/kg/h)

Changes in Glucose concentrationsAt baseline and every 30 minutes during the intervention period (3.5 hours)

Glucose concentrations in blood

Changes in GIP concentrationsChange from baseline and to 1 hour and 3.5 hour after the intervention

GIP concentrations in blood

Changes in blood pressure profile upon repeated LPS exposureMeasured at baseline and 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 24 hours after LPS (6-8 weeks between visit 1,2 and 3)

blood pressure (mmHg)

Changes in IL-1 profile upon repeated LPS exposureMeasured at baseline and 1, 2, 4, 6 and 24 hours after LPS (6-8 weeks between visit 1,2 and 3)

IL-1 blood concentrations

Changes in IL-10 profile upon repeated LPS exposureMeasured at baseline and 1, 2, 4, 6 and 24 hours after LPS (6-8 weeks between visit 1,2 and 3)

IL-10 blood concentrations

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Aarhus University Hospital

🇩🇰

Aarhus, Denmark

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