Vegan or Animal Protein Ingestion on the Recovery of Muscle Function Following Exercise (VAMPIRE)

The Effect of Vegan or Animal Protein Ingestion on the Recovery of Skeletal Muscle Function Following Strenuous Exercise

This study will assess the effect of daily post-exercise vegan (pea) and animal (whey) protein ingestion compared to placebo over 7 days of recovery from strenuous exercise. Muscle strength and soreness will be measured daily, and mechanisms underpinning recovery will be investigated in muscle biopsies taken 3, 24 and 48 hours after exercise.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Muscle Recovery
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Recovery animal (20g whey) protein supplement; Dietary supplement: Recover vegan (26g pea) protein supplement; Dietary supplement: Placebo (32g maltodextrin)

Detailed Description

Strenuous exercise can cause muscle soreness and reduced muscle strength. It is widely acknowledged that nutritional supplements derived from animal protein sources, including whey from milk, aids recovery when taken immediately after strenuous exercise. However, the effect of vegan protein supplements are less understood, and how they affect recovery of strength and soreness is not known. This is an important area of research due to the increasing demand for plant-based protein.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Kiera Wilkinson; Phone Number: 07905299691; Email: kw509@exeter.ac.uk
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Amy Booth; Email: ab1201@exeter.ac.uk

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • Exeter, United Kingdom, EX1 1TX
    • University of Exeter

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 40 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Recreationally active
• 18-40 years of age

Exclusion Criteria:

• Regular and structured involvement in resistance training
• Inactive participants
• Habitual dietary protein intake <0.8g/kg bw/day and >2.0g/kg bw/day
• Use of nutritional supplements
• Any diagnosed metabolic conditions (diabetes), cardiovascular disease or hypertension
• Current musculoskeletal injury
• Use of anti-inflammatory medicines
• Individuals with non -removable metallic implants (including heart pacemaker, cochlea implants, medication pumps, surgical clips, plates or screws) or claustrophobia
• Individuals with an allergy to egg, fish, wheat or soy ingredients as the product is manufactured in a facility that contains these ingredients

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Placebo	Dietary supplement: Placebo (32g maltodextrin); Placebo consumed post exercise to aid recovery of muscle function following strenuous exercise.
Active Comparator: Vegan Protein	Dietary supplement: Recover vegan (26g pea) protein supplement; Vegan protein supplement consumed post exercise to aid recovery of muscle function following strenuous exercise.
Active Comparator: Animal Protein	Dietary supplement: Recovery animal (20g whey) protein supplement; Animal protein supplement consumed post exercise to aid recovery of muscle function following strenuous exercise.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in isokinetic work (W30) performed before and every 24 h after performing 300 maximal eccentric quadriceps contractions.	The recovery of skeletal muscle isokinetic force production following eccentric exercise using an isokinetic dynamometer	Once per 24 hour period for 7 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Perceived quadriceps muscle soreness	Soreness will be assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) to determine whether the protein supplement can reduce muscle soreness following eccentric exercise. This scale will represent a 100mm line with no pain and worst pain anchored at either end of the scale.	Once per 24 hour period for 7 days
Muscle swelling	Determine whether the protein supplement can reduce muscle swelling following eccentric exercise assessed using MRI	Once per 24 hour period for 3 days
Rate of protein incorporation into the muscle	Determine whether the strenuous exercise and a protein supplement can upregulate protein synthesis following strenuous exercise assessed by muscle biopsies	Once per 24 hour period for 3 days
Plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity before and every 24 h after performing 300 maximal eccentric quadriceps contractions.	Damage and inflammatory bio markers following strenuous exercise assessed by blood sample	Once per 24 hour period for 7 days
Change in flow mediated dilation	Determine whether the protein polyphenol supplement can impact vascular function following eccentric exercise	Once hourly post exercise for 3 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Exeter
• Collaborators: Beachbody

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 23, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 23, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): April 23, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 6, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 6, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): November 7, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 22, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 21, 2023
• Last Verified: March 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Muscle Strength; Dietary supplements; Muscle, Skeletal; Musculoskeletal Physiology; Whey Proteins; Plant Proteins
• Other Study ID Numbers: 190703-B-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No