Protein Requirements for Active Adolescent Males (IAAO-AM)

University of Toronto7 enrolled

Overview

Protein requirements in active individuals have been suggested to be greater than the current recommended dietary allowance (RDA). Nutritional requirements for dietary amino acids in adolescents have traditionally been determined utilizing the nitrogen balance technique, which is prone to underestimating protein requirements. As a result, there is a need to re-evaluate recommendations in order to characterize how dietary amino acid needs may be modulated by physical activity. Recent studies using the minimally invasive indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) technique have suggested that protein requirements in young men are at least 50% higher than the RDA based on nitrogen balance data. The purpose of this study is to measure the protein requirement in adolescent, males using the IAAO technique in the presence of a variable intensity exercise stimulus.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Healthy

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: MALEMin age: 10 YearsMax age: 15 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria (Adolescents): * Healthy, active adolescent who regularly participates in moderate to vigorous physical activity 5 times a week for a minimum of 1 hour. * Being -0.5 to +1.0 years from peak height velocity, determined by the ratio of standing to sitting height, with the maximal age for adolescents being 16 years. * Obtaining a minimum level of 8.3 on the Beep Test Exclusion Criteria (All Subjects): * Inability to meet health and physical activity guidelines according to the Physical activity readiness questionnaire (PAR-Q+) and Physical Activity Questionnaire, * an inability to adhere to any of the protocol guidelines (i.e. caffeine consumption) * a biological age falling outside of the aforementioned ranges

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

13CO2 ([13]Carbon Dioxide) Excretion (µmol/kg/h)

Each trial day will assess a different protein intake with 13CO2 excretion defining the level of protein adequacy. Each trial day will be separated by \~1wk washout with all trial being completed in approximately 3 months.

Time frame: 4 hours per study day

Secondary Outcomes

[13C]Phenylalanine Oxidation (µmol/kg/h)

Each trial day will assess a different protein intake with 13CO2 excretion defining the level phenylalanine oxidation being used as a secondary marker of protein adequacy. Each trial day will be separated by \~1wk washout with all trial being completed in approximately 3 months.