The Effect of Dairy and Dairy-Free Alternative Beverages on Post-Exercise Anabolism in Active Youth

The growth and development of lean body mass (LBM) (e.g., muscle and bone) is vital to not only support health and performance across the lifespan but also, reduce the prevalence of metabolic disorders later in life, such as osteoporosis and sarcopenia. Active youth who regularly perform moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) have superior increases LBM and muscle strength compared to their sedentary counterparts. LBM is regulated by the process of protein breakdown (PB), where old or damaged proteins are broken down releasing their constituent amino acids (AA), as well as protein synthesis (PS), a process by which new proteins are made by linking constituent AAs together. When rates of PS exceed rates of PB (PS>PB), a positive net protein balance is achieved, ultimately facilitating the accretion of LBM. Contrarily, if PB>PS, net protein balance is negative, leading to the loss of LBM.

Assuming total energy intakes are met, to meet the metabolic demands of an active lifestyle, dietary protein is a prime anabolic stimulus. This macronutrient facilitates the growth of lean tissues by providing the AA 'building blocks' to support the synthesis of muscle and other body proteins. Physical activity (PA) is a second pre-eminent factor contributing to the growth of LBM. Following exercise, in the absence of dietary protein ingestion, net protein balance is negative. However, post-exercise protein consumption facilitates a positive net protein balance, which when repeated over time, can contribute to the accretion of LBM. Youth who engage in high levels of PA have greater LBM compared to their sedentary counterparts. Thus, it is important to capitalize on the optimal nutritional and exercise interventions to support a positive net protein balance, an acute marker of growth, especially in vulnerable populations, such as children.

In children, milk protein ingestion has been shown to stimulate whole-body PS, resulting in a positive whole-body net protein balance. In adults, dairy proteins lead to superior post-exercise recovery and PS compared to non-dairy alternatives. Most research to date examining the post-prandial protein synthesis responses to plant-based protein sources have encompassed isolated protein sources. However, there is currently a paucity of research examining the effect of the whole-food matrix of plant-based protein sources on whole-body protein metabolism in active youth. Furthermore, the pubertal growth spurt is characterized by rapid accumulation of LBM that is only surpassed by the first year of life. This LBM, which is enhanced by an active lifestyle, must be supported by adequate energy and protein ingestion. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the post-exercise anabolic effect of dairy and non-dairy whole foods on markers of LBM growth and whole-body protein metabolism, especially in children, an under-researched population.

The current project will employ the indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) methodology to determine the protein/AA intake that minimizes oxidation of the indicator AA, while maximizing PS. The oxidation of the indicator AA is minimized by ingesting an adequate proportion of AA, and/or consuming nutritionally complete protein sources. The main objective of the present study is to determine the effect of energy-matched dairy and non-dairy milk alternatives on whole-body protein synthesis in active youth following exercise.

Aim 1: To determine the effect of dairy (2% milk) and non-dairy milk alternatives (soy, rice, and almond 'milk' beverages) on whole-body PS following a bout of intermittent exercise in children, adolescent males, and adolescent females.