Study of Whole-body Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation with or without Protein Intake to Improve Muscle Protein Synthesis and Preserve Muscle During 3 Days of Bed Rest in Healthy Adults Aged 18 to 35

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying the effects of whole-body neuromuscular electrical stimulation NMES, with or without protein intake, on muscle protein synthesis, muscle mass, and function during 3 days of bed rest in healthy young adults aged 18 to 35 years. The trial aims to answer whether NMES followed by protein intake improves muscle protein synthesis rates and whether repeated NMES sessions protect muscle mass and function during inactivity. This randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial will compare sham stimulation, NMES alone, and NMES combined with protein intake to see which approach best supports muscle preservation. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups a control group receiving sham NMES and standard nutrition, an NMES group receiving whole-body NMES with standard nutrition, and an NMES plus protein group receiving NMES followed by a 20-gram protein bolus. The study includes 3 days of strict bed rest to simulate muscle disuse, with NMES sessions applied throughout. Protein intake is timed after NMES in the combined group. The trial also uses heavy water D2O to track muscle protein turnover and includes muscle biopsies to measure synthesis at the molecular level. During the study, participants will have muscle function tested with leg extension exercises and muscle thickness measured by ultrasound. Researchers will also monitor calf circumference for muscle mass changes and collect saliva and blood samples to analyze protein metabolism markers. The main outcome is the cumulative muscle protein synthesis rate during different phases of the study. Secondary outcomes include changes in muscle thickness, body composition, muscle strength, and nitrogen balance. The trial will run until 2027, with close monitoring throughout the bed rest period.

The Effect of Repeated Whole-body NMES Sessions With or Without Protein Intake on Muscle Protein Synthesis During 3 Days of Bed Rest in Healthy Young Volunteers