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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03029975

The Influence of Regular Beef Consumption and Protein Density of the Diet on Training-induced Gains in Muscle Strength and Performance in Healthy Adults

Humans lose muscle and strength as they get older. Further, ageing is accompanied by loss in cognitive function. It is not quite clear why this happens; however, it is known that the loss of muscle and strength can increase risk for physical and mental health risks and impair the ability of older people to remain physically independent. Weight lifting and proper nutrition, particularly eating high quality protein at the proper time and quantity, may help prevent these losses when a person gets older. To determine if regular beef consumption as part of a higher protein diet aids the muscle adaptive response to resistance training and improvements in cognition, seventy healthy individuals will be recruited to lift weights 3 times a week for 10 weeks. One group (n=36) will consume the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein (0.8g/kg/day), while the other group (n=36) will consume an amount twice the RDA (1.6g/kg/day), which is in agreement with recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine. Participants will have their muscle strength tested and samples of blood and muscles will be collected before and after training to determine how the muscle adaptive response to resistance exercise is affected by higher protein intake. In addition, participants will undergo cognitive assessments at baseline and follow-up to determine the influence of improving muscle strength on attention and memory. Overall, the investigators proposed study will use sensitive methodology to determine if providing protein above the RDA and at optimal times during the day in combination with a weight lifting program can help make someone stronger and build larger muscles than someone consuming the RDA, as well as what processes may be responsible for helping the muscles to get bigger and stronger.

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Key information

Conditions

Aging

Age range

40 year–64 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Freer Hall

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

  • Non-obese adults: BMI <30 kg/m2
  • Aged between 40-64 years
  • Sedentary
  • Weight-stable for 6 months prior

Exclusion criteria

  • Allergies to beef consumption
  • Phenylketonuria (PKU)
  • BMI >30 kg/m2
  • history of active cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, GI disorders, musculoskeletal/orthopedic disorders (e.g. osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, tendinitis, gout, fibromyalgia, patellar tendinopathy, or chronic low back pain)
  • hypersensitivity or allergy to antibiotics
  • Kidney, urinary, or liver conditions
  • Epilepsy
  • Diagnosed mental illness
  • have bleeding or clotting disorders (or take related medications e.g.. Coumadin/ low dose Aspirin)
  • High alcohol consumption
  • use tobacco
  • uncontrolled hypertension
  • vegan/vegetarian diets
  • on medications known to affect protein metabolism (i.e. corticosteroids, androgen/estrogen containing compounds, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories)
  • habitual consumption of high (>1.8 g protein/kg/d) or low (<0.66 g protein/kg/day)
  • pregnancy
  • supplements that influence protein metabolism (e.g. omega 3 fish oils)

Treatment and study plan

Resistance Training Exercise

Behavioral

Participants will undergo 10 weeks of progressive resistance exercise training while following their randomly assigned nutritional intervention.

Beef Protein Consumption

Behavioral

Following each resistance training sessions, participants will consume either a 3oz or 6oz beef patty (corresponding to the randomly assigned nutritional intervention group). Participants will also be provided with beef protein powder and beef snack bars to help them achieve their assigned protein goals during the intervention period.

Primary outcomes

  1. Maximal strength of leg muscles

    Time frame: Change from baseline to the end of the 10 week diet and resistance training intervention

    Assess maximum strength of legs using an isokinetic dynamometer in combination with 1 repetition maximum testing on leg extension, leg press, and leg curl machines.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Muscle cross-sectional area

    Time frame: Change from baseline to the end of the 10 week diet and resistance training intervention

    Using muscle biopsies, the investigators will assess the muscle cross sectional area of the vastus lateralis pre and post intervention.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Other

Collaborators

  • National Cattlemen's Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2019
Study completion
2019
First posted
Jan 24, 2017
Registry last updated
Nov 13, 2019

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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