Antiinflammatory Effect of Dietary Protein Intake in Elderly People
Condition: Inflammation
MeSH terms: Inflammation
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The aim is to evaluate the effect of ingestion of a modified bovine milk protein on
      circulating markers of inflammation in healthy men and women aged 50-70y.The focus is healthy
      ageing, i.e. delaying the deterioration in health status in older adults. Loss of lean tissue
      mass, termed sarcopenia is a consequence of aging per se, modified by nutrition and lifestyle
      behaviour. Advancing the prospect of 'successful aging' a 6-month period of protein-based
      nutritional support has shown preservation/accrual of lean tissue. Chronic low-grade
      inflammation is common in ageing and is a compounding factor leading to 'anabolic blunting',
      i.e. a reduced sensitivity of lean tissue to enhance the synthesis of lean tissue mass in
      response to protein feeding. Using a simulated human gastrointestinal digestion model we have
      recently shown proteins to have an anti-inflammatory bioactivity in vitro. This study
      investigates whether the anti-inflammatory response is retained, post-digestion in vivo.
    

Detailed description: 
      Participants to be recruited, are aged 50 to 70y from the Healthy Aging Study (EHSREC10_45)
      who will attend on 4 test days (occasions)

      Study Design: Single blind, randomised, repeated measures design with 2 independent factor
      (time x treatment)

      Procedures:

      Occasion 1 Subjects will undertake a preliminary assessment as per EHSREC 10_45 as follows;
      i. medical history and examination by a qualified medical doctor (~45 min); ii. provide a
      blood and urine sample to be evaluated (following analysis) by a qualified medical doctor;

      Occasion 2 Subjects will then undertake, as per EHSREC 2013 01_12, an assessment of body
      composition, dietary intake and habitual physical activity as follows; iii. habitual food
      intake evaluated by a qualified dietitian (~45 min); iv. body composition (~45 min) v.
      habitual physical activity level (PAL) quantified using the European Physical Activity
      Questionnaire (EPAQ-2; ~ 15 min).

      Occasion 3/4

      Subjects will then undertake two controlled feeding trials, each trial separated by
      approximately 7 days as follows:

      Subjects will report to the Metabolic Laboratory (PG-052b), Physical Education and Sports
      Sciences (PESS) Building following an overnight fast.

      (i) A cannula will be inserted into a peripheral arm vein by a qualified clinician or
      phlebotomist;

      (ii) a 10ml blood sample will be withdrawn and aliquots generated for subsequent analysis;
      (iii) Following a 15 min rest period subjects will be given in randomised order either
      control (CONTROL) - a placebo nutrient drink (per kg of body mass: 0.33g protein with no
      anti-inflammatory bioactivity; energy ~ 160 kcal in 500ml water) or nutrient (NUTRIENT) - a
      nutrient drink (per kg of body mass: 0.33g protein with confirmed anti-inflammatory
      bioactivity; energy ~ 160 kcal in 500ml water) to be consumed within a 10 minute period.

      CONTROL and NUTRIENT will be reversed for the 2nd trial in randomised order.

      (iv) Whilst remaining sitting at rest (reading, undertaking computer work etc.) further blood
      samples will be withdrawn at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60 75, 90, 120 and 180 minutes post feeding.

      Total blood draw = 100ml per trial.

      Data Analysis: (i) Shapiro-Wilk test of normality, then (ii) repeated measures analysis
      either by ANOVA(R) if normal or Friedman Test if non-normally distributed.
    

Intervention name(s): CONTROL; NUTRIENT
Intervention type(s): Dietary Supplement; Dietary Supplement
Intervention description(s): Following an overnight fast, participants submit to cannulation of a superficial arm vein from which are drawn serial samples of blood prior to and for 3 hours following ingestion of a prescribed protein 'shake'; Following an overnight fast, participants submit to cannulation of a superficial arm vein from which are drawn serial samples of blood prior to and for 3 hours following ingestion of a prescribed protein 'shake'
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Basic Science
Keywords: protein; inflammation; anti-inflammatory agents