The Impact of Plant-based Blends on Skeletal Muscle Protein Synthesis Rates in Older Adults

The Impact of Plant-based Protein Blends, With or Without Resistance Exercise, on Skeletal Muscle Protein Synthesis Rates in Older Men and Women

Lifestyle interventions such as physical activity and dietary habits are the most effective non-pharmacological strategies to combat the loss of muscle mass and the development of mobility limitations with aging. Resistance training (i.e., strengthening exercise) provides a strong stimulus to build muscle mass, and protein provides the essential building blocks. Therefore, an individual's dietary practices can influence the effectiveness of an exercise program - when combined, they work together to increase the muscle-building response. However, not all proteins are equally effective at bringing about muscle growth.

Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a higher-quality plant-based protein blend with lifting weight on muscle building in older men and women.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Nutrition, Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Milk protein ingestion; Dietary supplement: Cron protein ingestion; Dietary supplement: Corn+Pea protein ingestion; Dietary supplement: Non-protein, low energy

Detailed Description

Dietary interventions are similarly pertinent in preventing skeletal muscle mass losses with aging. Dietary protein ingestion provides the necessary substrates (i.e., amino acids) essential for skeletal muscle development, health, and, thus, maintenance of muscle mass. Protein ingestion and resistance exercise training (RET) increase muscle protein synthesis (MPS), but when combined, they act synergistically to maximize MPS. Importantly, not all protein sources are equivalent in their ability to support increased rates of MPS. A recent study confirmed that a blend of plant proteins at a large dose of 30 g resulted in similar MPS as 30g of milk protein in young men. However, the impact of a unique plant-derived protein blend on MPS in older individuals is yet to be determined. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to address that knowledge gap by assessing the skeletal muscle anabolic potential of a plant-based protein blend (i.e., corn and pea) on rates of MPS, with or without additive exercise in older men and women.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 48
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Ontario
    • Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8S 4L8
      • Ivor Wynne Centre

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Older (60-80 y) men and women
• Be in good general health
• Non-smoking
• Recreationally active but not meet Canada's Physical Activity Guidelines (150 min of moderate-intensity exercise/week)
• Have a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5-30 kg/m2 (inclusive)
• Willing and able to provide informed consent (speaks and understands English)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Use of tobacco or related products
• Use assistive walking devices (e.g., cane or walker)
• Any concurrent medical, orthopedic, or psychiatric condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would compromise his/her ability to comply with the study requirements
• History of cancer within the last 5 years, except basal cell carcinoma, non-squamous skin carcinoma, prostate cancer or carcinoma in situ with no significant progression over the past 2 years
• Significant orthopedic, cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, liver, infectious disease, immune disorder, metabolic/endocrine, neuromuscular or bone wasting disorders
• Any cachexia-related condition (e.g., relating to cancer, tuberculosis or human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome) or any genetic muscle diseases or disorders
• History of statin myalgia
• Current illnesses which could interfere with the study (e.g., prolonged severe diarrhea, regurgitation, difficulty swallowing)
• Excessive alcohol consumption (>21 units/week)
• History of bleeding diathesis, platelet or coagulation disorders, or antiplatelet/anticoagulation therapy (up to 81mg of baby aspirin per day taken as a prophylactic is permitted).
• Routine/daily usage of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS, prescription use or daily use of over-the-counter medication), use of corticosteroids, testosterone replacement therapy (ingestion, injection, or transdermal), any anabolic steroid, creatine, whey protein supplements, casein or branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) within 45 days prior to screening.
• A history of falls determined by a score >25 on the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I).

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Milk protein ingestion; Consuming 20 g of Milk Protein dissolved in 350mL of water, one time at the experiment visit	Dietary supplement: Milk protein ingestion; It's just an acute intervention, so the participant assigned to the Milk protein ingestion group will consume 20 g of milk protein during infusion protocol.
Experimental: Corn protein ingestion; Consuming 20 g of Corn protein isolation dissolved in 350mL of water, one time at the experimental visit	Dietary supplement: Cron protein ingestion; It's just an acute intervention, so the participant assigned to the Corn protein ingestion group will consume 20 g of corn protein isolation during infusion protocol.
Experimental: Corn+Pea protein ingestion; Consuming 20 g of Corn+Pea protein isolation dissolved in 350mL of water, one time at the experimental visit	Dietary supplement: Corn+Pea protein ingestion; It's just an acute intervention, so the participant assigned to the Corn+Pea protein ingestion group will consume 20 g of Corn+Pea protein isolation during infusion protocol.
Experimental: Non-protein, low energy; Consuming 20 g of carbohydrate dissolved in 350mL of water, one time at the experimental visit	Dietary supplement: Non-protein, low energy; It's just an acute intervention, so the participant assigned to the Non-protein, low energy group will consume 20 g of carbohydrate during infusion protocol.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Muscle protein synthesis rate	The rate of amino acids incorporation into skeletal muscle protein	Over 5 hours after intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Plasma amino acid concentration	Amino acid content in plasma after ingestion of the supplements	Over 5 hours after intervention
Muscle anabolic protein signaling	Protein signaling changes in skeletal muscle tissue	At pre and 5 hours after intervention
Plasma glucose	Glucose content in plasma	Over 5 hours after intervention
Plasma insulin	Insulin content in plasma	Over 5 hours after intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: McMaster University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Stuart Phillips, Ph.D., McMaster University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 30, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 11, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 15, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): June 23, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 3, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 1, 2024
• Last Verified: October 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Plant-based protein, Protein quality
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Chelating Agents; Sequestering Agents; Caseins
• Other Study ID Numbers: 16408

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