The Effectiveness of a Diet With Beef as Key Protein Component Versus a Plant-Based Diet to Support Integrated Muscle Protein Synthesis Rates in Healthy Older Individuals

Maastricht University Medical Center32 enrolled

Overview

Muscles are composed out of proteins. These proteins in turn are composed out of smaller building blocks, called amino acids. By consuming a sufficient amount of dietary protein, a sufficient amount of amino acids become available to build new muscle proteins. The body's ability to build these new muscle proteins is of great importance to maintain muscle strength and function. Previous research suggests that a meal containing proteins from meat results in a better stimulation of the body's ability to build muscle proteins, when compared to a meal containing only plant-based proteins. However, these previous studies have only been performed following the ingestion of a single meal. As a result it is currently unknown how the muscles respond to a more prolonged ingestion of a diet containing animal/meat products, in comparison to a plant-based diet. Therefore, this study aims to investigate how fast new muscle proteins are being build when consuming a diet containing animal/meat products, in comparison to a plant-based (vegan) diet.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Muscle Protein Synthetic Response to Protein

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 65 YearsMax age: 85 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Male or female sex * Aged between 65 and 85 y inclusive * BMI between 18.5 and 30 kg/m2 inclusive Exclusion Criteria: * Not willing to consume meat/animal-based products during the study period * Any food allergies (e.g. milk, gluten, etc.) * Participating currently or in the 3 months prior to the study in a structured progressive exercise program. * Smoking * History of cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, urogenital, neurological, psychiatric, dermatologic, musculoskeletal, metabolic, endocrine, haematological, immunologic disorders, allergy, major surgery and/or laboratory assessments which might limit participation in or completion of the study protocol, interfere with the execution of the experiment, or potential influence the study outcomes (to be decided by the study team and responsible physician) * Diagnosed with phenylketonuria (PKU) * Donated full blood 3 months prior to test day * Use of any medications that interferes with study participation and/or outcomes (i.e. corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, gastric acid suppressing medication) as assessed by the study team and responsible medical doctor. * Use of DOAC, vitamin-K-antagonist, or multiple anticoagulants * Fasting blood glucose \>7 mmol/L

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Integrated muscle protein synthesis rate in rested leg

The main study endpoint will be the difference in muscle protein synthesis rates in the non-exercised leg, between the plant-based diet and the meat diet, expressed as FSR (%/day).

Time frame: The 2 intervention periods over which FSR is determined will each last 10 days

Secondary Outcomes

Integrated muscle protein synthesis rate in exercised leg

The difference in muscle protein synthesis rates in the exercised leg, between the plant-based diet and the meat diet, expressed as FSR (%/day).

Time frame: The 2 intervention periods over which FSR is determined will each last 10 days

Blood glucose

The difference in plasma glucose concentrations will be determined following the MEAT vs PLANT diet