Background: Protein intake is important for maintaining skeletal muscle mass. These proteins consist of a collection of small building blocks which are called amino acids. There are two types of amino acids that are needed to build muscle: essential amino acids (EAA) and non-essential amino acids (NEAA). EAAs cannot be made in the body and must be consumed through foods, while NEAAs can be made within the body. However, if NEAA are not consumed through foods, the process of making NEAA in the body costs the body energy. It is still unknown what the impact of a diet containing too few non-essential amino acids is for muscle building and the body's energy metabolism. Objective: To determine if a diet lacking NEAA, with or without being replaced by additional EAA, influences muscle protein building and whole-body metabolism. Study design: Randomized, parallel design, double-blind, 10-day dietary intervention study. Study population: 45 healthy (BMI 22-30 kg/m2) young males (age: 18-35 y inclusive). Hypothesis: It is hypothesized that a diet lacking NEAA, with or without being replaced by additional EAA, decreases muscle protein building in humans.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
64
Dissolved in water and ingested 4 times a day
Dissolved in water and ingested 4 times a day
Dissolved in water and ingested 4 times a day
Maastricht University Medical Center
Maastricht, Netherlands
RECRUITINGIntegrated skeletal muscle protein fractional synthesis rates
Calculated by the change in deuterium labelled alanine in skeletal muscle protein
Time frame: 10 days
Integrated skin protein fractional synthesis rates
Calculated by the change in deuterium labelled alanine in skin protein
Time frame: 10 days
Muscle mass
Measured using Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Time frame: Baseline, 10 days
Body fat composition
Measured using MRI
Time frame: Baseline, 10 days
Resting energy expenditure
Measured using indirect calorimetry
Time frame: Baseline, 10 days
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure
Measured using automated device
Time frame: Baseline, 5 days, 10 days
Resting heart rate
Measured using automated device
Time frame: Baseline, 5 days, 10 days
Plasma amino acids
Measured in plasma samples
Time frame: Baseline, 5 days, 10 days
Blood metabolites
Assessed in plasma and serum samples
Time frame: Baseline, 5 days, 10 days
Urine metabolites
Measured in fasted urine samples
Time frame: Baseline, 5 days, 10 days
Skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiration
Measured in skeletal muscle tissue collected from muscle biopsy
Time frame: Baseline, 10 days
Skeletal muscle signalling pathways
Measured in skeletal muscle tissue from muscle biopsy
Time frame: Baseline, 10 days
Body mass
Assessed using scale
Time frame: Baseline, 5 days, 10 days
Dietary protein intake
Assessed by calculating the actual intakes from the provided diet
Time frame: 10 days
Dietary fat intake
Assessed by calculating the actual intakes from the provided diet
Time frame: 10 days
Dietary carbohydrate intake
Assessed by calculating the actual intakes from the provided diet
Time frame: 10 days
Liver fat
Measured using MRI
Time frame: Baseline, 10 days
Body lean mass composition
Measured using MRI
Time frame: Baseline, 10 days
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