Role of the Protein Matrix in the Anabolic Response to a Ground Beef Patty as Opposed to the Impossible (Vegi-) Burger

Several of the investigator's recent studies have shown that all dietary proteins are not equal when it comes to making proteins in human bodies. Generally, foods made from animal muscle tissue are much more efficient at making new proteins in the body that those from plant sources. This study will measure the amount of protein growth in participants after consuming either one beef patty, one vegi-burger, or two vegi-burgers. By using stable isotope infusions and collecting blood and leg muscle samples, the investigator's lab can determine the rate of muscle metabolism that happens after a participant eats a protein-containing food. The investigator wants to determine if the vegi-burger is as efficient as the beef patty at creating proteins in a participants. The investigator will measure this metabolism over a 10-hour period, with the food being eaten at the 4 hour mark. The investigator plans to perform this procedure on up to 8 participants per food option (24 total).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Protein Metabolism
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: food: cooked 85% lean ground beef; Other: food: Impossible Burger (R)

Detailed Description

According to the USDA Economic Research Service Food Availability Data, beef consumption has been on a general decline for the past 40 years, with current per capita consumption approximately 35% lower in 2020 than in 1980. Some of this decline over the past few years can be attributed to politically motivated claims that carbon emissions from cattle represent a major threat to the global environment. However, the major reason for declining beef consumption is the widely promulgated claim that beef is unhealthy. The hamburger in particular has become a poster child for the notion that beef consumption is responsible for the increasing occurrence of obesity in the United States. The trend of decreasing beef consumption due to perceived health concerns, particularly obesity and associated health problems, has led major fast-food chains such as Burger King and McDonalds, to offer vegetarian burgers as healthy alternatives to the traditional beef burger. However, examination of the components of the macronutrient matrix of a typical vegetarian burger gives reason to question the health benefits as compared to a traditional beef patty-hamburger.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 33
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Arkansas
    • Little Rock, Arkansas, United States, 72205
      • UAMS Center on Aging

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:

• Ages 18 - 40 yrs.
• Body Mass Index of 20-32 inclusive

Exclusion Criteria:

• Unwilling to eat animal proteins
• History of diabetes that requires medication for control of blood glucose
• History of malignancy or chemo/radiation therapy in the 6 months prior to enrollment
• History of gastrointestinal bypass/reduction surgery (Lapband, gastric sleeve, etc.)
• Pregnant females
• Hemoglobin less than 12 g/dL at screening
• Platelets less than 150,000 at screening
• Subjects who cannot refrain from using protein or amino acid supplements for 7 days prior to Visit 3
• Concomitant use of oral or injectable corticosteroids
• Concomitant use of testosterone, IGF-1, or similar anabolic agent
• Any other disease or condition that would place the subject at increased risk of harm if they were to participate, at the discretion of the study physician

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: 4 ounce beef patty; Subjects consume one beef patty of 4 ounces of cooked meat.	Other: food: cooked 85% lean ground beef; see arm description; Other Names: hamburger
Experimental: 4 ounce vegetarian burger; Subjects consume one patty of 4 ounces of cooked vegetarian product.	Other: food: Impossible Burger (R); see arm description; Other Names: Impossible Burger (R)
Experimental: 2x 4 ounce vegetarian burger; Subjects consume two patties of 4 ounces of cooked vegetarian product.	Other: food: Impossible Burger (R); see arm description; Other Names: Impossible Burger (R)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Plasma amino acid concentrations (area under the curve after consumption of intervention/s)	6 hours after consumption of intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Arkansas

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 3, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): November 3, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 15, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 4, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): January 19, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 28, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 27, 2023
• Last Verified: March 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 273554

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