BCAAs, Muscle Protein Synthesis and Glucose Uptake

The Role of Branched-chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) in the Stimulation of Skeletal Muscle Protein Synthesis and Glucose Uptake in Healthy Young Volunteers

The present study aims to quantify the insulin sensitivity and the skeletal muscle protein synthetic response to consuming a test drink containing all amino acids or all amino acids except for BCAAs.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Ingestion of an amino acid supplement

Detailed Description

Twenty-eight healthy, young volunteers will receive a stable isotope tracer infusion (7.5h) combined with repeated blood and muscle sampling, to measure muscle protein synthesis rate in the postabsorptive state following ingestion of a drink containing all amino acids (n=14) or all amino acids except for BCAAs (n=14).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 24
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Netherlands
  • Gelderland
    • Wageningen, Gelderland, Netherlands, 6708 WD
      • Wageningen University and Research

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged from 18-35 years
• 18.5 < Body mass index < 30 kg·m2
• Recreationally active (performing non-competitive physical exercise at least one time per week for minimally 30 minutes)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Smoking
• Diabetes (Type 1, Type 2, or genetic form of diabetes)
• Any diagnosed cardiovascular (heart) disease or high blood pressure (≥140 mmHg systolic and/or ≥90 mmHg diastolic)
• Chronic use of any prescribed or over the counter pharmaceuticals (excluding oral contraceptives and contraceptive devices)
• Known allergy to lidocaine
• Regular use of dietary protein and/or amino acid supplements (>3 times per week)
• Currently involved in a structured progressive resistance training programme (>3 times per week)
• A personal or family history of thrombosis (clots), epilepsy, seizures, or schizophrenia.
• Any previous motor disorders or disorders in muscle and/or lipid metabolism
• Presence of an ulcer in the stomach or gut and/or strong history of indigestion
• Known severe kidney problems
• Pregnant or breastfeeding
• Unable to give consent

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: FullAA; Amino acid drink containing all amino acids	Dietary supplement: Ingestion of an amino acid supplement; Oral intake of a supplement containing amino acids
Active Comparator: NoBCAA; Amino acid drink containing all amino acids except for BCAAs.	Dietary supplement: Ingestion of an amino acid supplement; Oral intake of a supplement containing amino acids

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Postprandial muscle protein synthesis	Muscle protein synthesis rate (FSR) prior to and following ingestion of an amino acid drink	4 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Forearm muscle glucose uptake	Insulin sensitivity, measured as forearm glucose uptake, prior to and following ingestion of an amino acid drink	7.5 hours
Whole-body insulin sensitivity	Whole-body insulin sensitivity, calculated using a modified Matsuda index	Four hours following ingestion of an amino acid drink
Forearm amino acid kinetics	Plasma phenylalanine kinetics using a stable isotope tracer infusion	Prior to and for 4 hours following amino acid intake

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Wageningen University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 10, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 13, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): February 13, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 11, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 11, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): January 23, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 20, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 18, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: NL82984.028.23

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
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No