There are times in life when people cannot use their muscles, such as during illness or injury. Muscle and mitochondria (the 'energy factory' in cells) health decline very quickly when people cannot use their muscles, but certain foods can help reduce these declines. Recent research suggests that Urolithin A, which is a natural compound that can be produced after eating pomegranates, nuts, and berries, improves muscle health. In this study, the investigators aim to investigate if a protein beverage (standard care during disuse) with or without Urolithin A can reduce or prevent the loss of muscle health while wearing a knee brace (muscle disuse).
After participants provide informed consent to participate and are deemed eligible for the study (Day 0), participants will sequentially complete the three phases of this study: 1. RUN-IN phase: participants continue habitual lifestyle (Day 7-Day 14 \[1 week\]) 2. IMMOBILIZATION phase: participants undergo 2 weeks of unilateral knee immobilization (Day 14-Day 28 \[2 weeks\]) 3. RECOVERY phase: participants return to habitual lifestyle (Day 28-Day 35 \[1 week\]) Participants will consume their randomly assigned supplement daily during all three phases.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
24
Ready-to-drink protein beverage consumed once daily for 28 days
Ready-to-drink protein beverage with 1000 mg of Urolithin A consumed once daily for 28 days
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Change in maximal mitochondrial respiration (rate of oxygen flux) and mitochondrial ADP [adenosine diphosphate] sensitivity (Oroboros O2k)
Oxygen flux in muscle measured using Oroboros
Time frame: Outcome measured and reported for: Day 7, Day 14, Day 28, Day 35
Muscle strength (Biodex)
Isometric leg extension strength
Time frame: Day 7, Day 14, Day 28, Day 35
Quadriceps muscle size
Muscle size measured using MRI
Time frame: Outcome measured and reported for: Day 14, Day 28, Day 35
Muscle protein fractional synthetic rate
Protein synthetic rate using labelled alanine incorporation
Time frame: Day 7, Day 14, Day 28, Day 35; integrated synthesis rates reported for Day 7-14, Day 14-28; Day 28-35
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