Essential Amino Acids Supplementation and Muscle Protein Synthesis

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The modern warfighter faces numerous physiological challenges including sleep deprivation, sustained intense physical activity, and caloric restriction, the combined effects of which may result in the loss of lean body mass and decreased physical performance. Dietary interventions may help preserve lean body mass and facilitate recovery from periods of intense physical demand. For example, dietary strategies that increase amino acid availability have been shown to stimulate protein synthesis in skeletal muscle following resistance exercise. Because military tasks also incorporate endurance exercise components, studies regarding the effects of increasing dietary amino acids following endurance exercise are warranted. The objectives of this study are to characterize the effect of endurance exercise on protein synthesis and breakdown as well as the ability of an essential amino acid supplement to influence skeletal muscle protein metabolism and its cellular and molecular regulation following endurance exercise.

Official Title
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The Effect of Amino Acid Supplementation on Skeletal Muscle Protein Turnover Following Endurance Exercise

Conditions
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Muscle Loss, Muscle Anabolism

Intervention / Treatment
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* Dietary Supplement: Essential Amino Acids
* Other: Endurance exercise


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Men and women aged 18 - 35 years Weight stable Recreationally active with VO2max of 40 - 50 ml/kg/min Refrain from taking any NSAIDS or any aspirin-containing medications Supervisor approval if a federal employee Exclusion Criteria: Disease or medication that affects macronutrient metabolism and/or the ability to participate in strenuous exercise Allergies to foods or medications (including, but not limited to, lidocaine or phenylalanine) to be utilized in the study Abnormal PT/PTT test or problems with blood clotting Present condition of alcoholism or other substance abuse that compromises exercise capacity Musculoskeletal injuries that compromise the ability to exercise Pregnancy

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 35 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Muscle protein turnover and intracellular signaling at rest<br>Muscle protein turnover and intracellular signaling are measured at rest for comparison to post-exercise muscle metabolism. | |
| Active Comparator: Muscle metabolism after endurance exercise<br>Post-exercise muscle protein metabolism was measured to determine if endurance exercise affects muscle metabolism compared to rest. | Dietary Supplement: Essential Amino Acids<br>* 10 Gram Essential Amino Acid solutions with different leucine contents consumed during two identical endurance exercise trials<br>Other: Endurance exercise<br>* 60 minute endurance exercise session<br>|
| Experimental: Muscle Metabolism after endurance exercise<br>Muscle metabolism response to endurance exercise with essential amino acid supplementation | Dietary Supplement: Essential Amino Acids<br>* 10 Gram Essential Amino Acid solutions with different leucine contents consumed during two identical endurance exercise trials<br>|
| Experimental: Muscle anabolism after endurance exercise<br>Muscle anabolism after endurance exercise with essential amino acid supplementation. | Dietary Supplement: Essential Amino Acids<br>* 10 Gram Essential Amino Acid solutions with different leucine contents consumed during two identical endurance exercise trials<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in muscle protein synthesis after exercise or exercise with amino acid supplementation. |  | An average change over a 210 minute recovery period from a 60 minute endurance exercise session | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in intracellular signaling after exercise or exercise with amino acid supplementation. |  | At 30 minutes and 210 minutes after a 60 minute endurance exercise session | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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protein turnover, whole body protein turnover, essential amino acids, leucine