Effects of Different Post-Exercise Meals on Muscle Protein Building in Healthy Adults Aged 19 to 40

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how different food combinations affect muscle protein synthesis after exercise in healthy, recreationally active young adults aged 19 to 40 years. This trial uses a semi-crossover randomized design to compare the effects of meals containing russet potato and lean ground beef, white bread and lean ground beef, or lean ground beef alone on muscle protein building and amino acid metabolism. The goal is to understand how these foods influence muscle health and protein metabolism following resistance exercise. Participants will perform a single session of resistance exercise involving leg press and leg extension. Immediately after exercise, they will consume one of three meals a combination of baked russet potato with skins and lean ground beef, white bread with lean ground beef, or lean ground beef alone. Stable isotope tracers will be infused intravenously to track amino acid use and muscle protein synthesis. Muscle biopsies and blood samples will be collected to measure protein synthesis rates and anabolic signaling during the trials. Participants will undergo preliminary testing including body measurements, resting metabolic rate, diet recording, and strength testing before the infusion trials. During the trials, blood samples and muscle biopsies will be taken at multiple time points to assess protein metabolism. Daily physical activity will be monitored with accelerometers, and participants will follow dietary and exercise restrictions before each trial. The study will measure muscle protein fractional synthesis rate and whole body leucine kinetics as primary outcomes to evaluate the effects of these food combinations.

Diet Synergy in Muscle Protein Synthesis