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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05876299

The Anabolic Properties of a Lipid-rich Pork Matrix

The amount and quality of skeletal muscle mass determines physical performance, but also a significant contributor to metabolic health. As such, the maintenance of skeletal muscle mass is relevant across the lifespan to remain active in family and community life. Food ingestion, particularly protein, is one of the main anabolic to skeletal muscle tissue by stimulating muscle protein synthesis rates. There have been multiple attempts to identify specialized performance nutrition products (e.g., various isolated protein powders) to maximize the anabolic properties of dietary protein on muscle. Our research group, however, has advocated for a food focus approach to meet dietary protein requirements. Particularly, we propose that whole foods demonstrate food matrix effects (nutrient-nutrient interactions) that creates a greater anabolic action on muscle beyond what amino acids can create alone. Therefore, the objective of this study is to identify the anabolic properties of consuming lipid-rich pork products when compared to their leaner counter-parts. Our working hypothesis that the ingestion of 84% or 96% lean ground pork condition will stimulate a greater increase in muscle protein synthesis rates compared to an isocaloric carbohydrate beverage in healthy adults. We further hypothesize that the ingestion of 84% lean pork will augment the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis rates to a greater extent than 96% lean ground pork. To achieve our objective, we will recruit 15 healthy men and women (20-50 y) to receive prime-constant infusions to directly measure muscle protein synthesis rates before and after treatment ingestion using our lab's established methods.

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Key information

Conditions

Muscle Protein Synthesis

Age range

20 year–50 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Louise Freer Hall (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

Urbana, Illinois, 61801, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 20-50 yrs
  • Pre-menopausal
  • Recreationally active
  • Weight stable for prior 6 months

Exclusion criteria

  • Age outside of range (20 - 50 yrs)
  • Pregnancy
  • Irregular menstrual cycles
  • Participation in previous research using [13C6]phenylalanine
  • Participation in other ongoing research that interferes with this study (e.g., conflicting diet, activity interventions, etc.)
  • Any hospitalization or surgery for a metabolic, cardiovascular, or neuromusculoskeletal complication within the past year
  • Allergy or hypersensitivity to local anesthetics, latex, or adhesives (bandages, medical tape, etc.)
  • Excess scarring after injury
  • History of excess bleeding after cut
  • Chronic or frequent dizziness/fainting, and arm or leg weakness/numbness
  • Arthritis
  • Tumors
  • Mental Illness
  • Hepatorenal, cardiovascular musculoskeletal, autoimmune, or neurological disease or disorder
  • Predisposition to hypertrophic scarring or keloid formation
  • Physical activity limitations
  • Consumption of ergogenic-levels of dietary supplements that may affect muscle mass (e.g., creatine, HMB), insulin-like substances, or anabolic/catabolic pro-hormones (e.g., DHEA) within 6 weeks prior to participation
  • Consumption of thyroid, androgenic, or other medications known to affect endocrine function
  • Consumption of medications known to affect protein metabolism (e.g., prescription-strength corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, or acne medication)
  • Unwillingness to comply with study procedures
  • Weight unstable (variation >5% of bodyweight in last 6-12 months)
  • Current or previous tobacco use with last 6 months
  • Obesity (body mass index; BMI > 30 kg/m^2)
  • Score of less than 14 or greater than 24 on Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire
  • Phenylketonuria
  • Anyone hospitalized previously for COVID-19 without a cardiovascular workup screening for cardiovascular issues post-infection
  • Anyone recovering from COVID-19 infection within the preceding 10 days

Treatment and study plan

95.1% Lean Pork

Other

This intervention will contain 120 kcals, 4.4 g fat, and 20 g protein from low-fat ground pork.

81.16% Lean Pork

Other

This intervention will contain 266 kcals, 20.6 g fat, and 20 g protein from high-fat ground pork.

Carbohydrate Beverage

Other

This intervention will contain 266 kcals and 73.3 g carbohydrate from a carbohydrate beverage.

Primary outcomes

  1. Myofibrillar Fractional Synthetic Rate

    Time frame: During 5-hour post-prandial period following consumption of the study meal or beverage

    Rate of building new protein in skeletal muscle contractile protein

Secondary outcomes

  1. Plasma Amino Acid Concentration

    Time frame: During the 3-hour post-absorptive period prior to ingestion of the study meal or beverage and throughout the 5-hour post-prandial period following meal ingestion

    Concentration of amino acids in plasma as determined by LC/MS/MS

  2. Plasma Free Fatty Acid Concentration

    Time frame: During the 3-hour post-absorptive period prior to ingestion of the study meal or beverage and throughout the 5-hour post-prandial period following meal ingestion

    Concentration of amino acids in plasma as determined by GC-MS

  3. Plasma Insulin Concentration

    Time frame: During the 3-hour post-absorptive period prior to ingestion of the study meal or beverage and throughout the 5-hour post-prandial period following meal ingestion

    Concentration of insulin in plasma as determined by commercially-available ELISA kits

  4. Plasma Glucose Concentration

    Time frame: During the 3-hour post-absorptive period prior to ingestion of the study meal or beverage and throughout the 5-hour post-prandial period following meal ingestion

    Concentration of glucose in plasma as determined by an automated biochemistry analyzer (YSI)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
May 25, 2023
Registry last updated
Jul 16, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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