BCAAs, Muscle Protein Synthesis and Glucose Uptake

February 18, 2026 updated by: Marlou Dirks, Wageningen University

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

Intervention / Treatment

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

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

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

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

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

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

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

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Wageningen University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

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

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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