Actively Recruiting
Anabolic Response to Beef vs Plant Protein in (Pre)Frail Older Adults Using a Novel Stable Isotope Pulse Method
Led by Texas A&M University · Updated on 2025-11-28
60
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
56 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Frailty is a common clinical syndrome in older adults that increases the risk for poor health outcomes including falls, disability, hospitalization, and mortality. Previous research showed increased protein needs and reduced anabolic response to meals in older adults, indicating the need for proteins with a high anabolic capacity to prevent and attenuate physical and cognitive health decline throughout the frailty cycle. Recently, more people have chosen to eliminate animal (i.e., beef) products from their diets which is concerning because of beef's anabolic properties due to high essential amino acid (EAA) levels and many other positive health effects. The Researchers' recently developed stable isotope amino acid pulse method enables measurement of the true intracellular anabolic response to a meal and bioavailability of food-derived amino acids. The research objective is to examine differences in the anabolic response and bioavailability of individual EAA and non-essential amino acids (NEAA) in beef as compared to plant protein in older adults with and without (pre-)frailty.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Anabolic Response to Beef vs Plant Protein in (Pre)Frail Older Adults Using a Novel Stable Isotope Pulse Method
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Age 65 to 95 years old
- Ability to walk, sit down, and stand up independently or with a walking assistance device
- No use of dietary supplements or medications affecting protein and amino acid metabolism within 4 weeks prior to the study
- Willingness to lie supine in bed for up to 6 hours
- Willingness and ability to comply with study procedures
You will not qualify if you...
- Malnutrition with BMI less than 17 kg/m2
- BMI greater than 35 kg/m2 to avoid weight-related metabolic issues
- Diagnosed and actively treated chronic diseases such as insulin-dependent diabetes, active cancer, heart, kidney, liver diseases, HIV/AIDS, moderate to severe asthma, or hepatitis A, B, or C
- History of untreated metabolic diseases including liver or kidney disorders
- Fever within the last 3 days
- Liver cirrhosis
- Diagnosis of dementia or neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, or frontotemporal dementia
- Possible pregnancy
- Acute illness or metabolically unstable chronic illness
- Active dependence on alcohol or drugs
- Newly prescribed long-term oral corticosteroids
- Planned elective surgery requiring hospital stay of 2 or more days during the study
- Inability or unwillingness to give informed consent
- Current participation in another clinical trial
- Any condition found during screening that may interfere with the study or participant safety
- Known allergy to soy or beef
- Established vegetarian or vegan diet
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas, United States, 77843
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
M
Marielle Engelen, PhD
CONTACT
L
Laura Ruebush, PhD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
CROSSOVER
Primary Purpose
OTHER
Number of Arms
3
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