The Anabolic Properties of a Lipid-rich Pork Matrix

NCT05876299 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 23257
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 16
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Muscle Protein Synthesis

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Myofibrillar Fractional Synthetic Rate

  Rate of building new protein in skeletal muscle contractile protein

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

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Plasma Amino Acid Concentration

  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

• Plasma Free Fatty Acid Concentration

  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

• Plasma Insulin Concentration

  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

• Plasma Glucose Concentration

  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

Study Arms (3)

Low-Fat Pork

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

This condition will consist of consuming 90.2 g of low-fat (4.90% crude fat) ground pork.

Other: 95.1% Lean Pork

High-Fat Pork

EXPERIMENTAL

This condition will consist of consuming 109.6 g of high-fat (18.84% crude fat) ground pork.

Other: 81.16% Lean Pork

Carbohydrate Control

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

This condition will consist of a carbohydrate beverage.

Other: Carbohydrate Beverage

Interventions

95.1% Lean Pork OTHER

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

Low-Fat 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.

High-Fat Pork

Carbohydrate Beverage OTHER

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

Carbohydrate Control

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 50 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

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

You may not qualify if:

• 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

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: lead

Study Sites (1)

Louise Freer Hall (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

Urbana, Illinois, 61801, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Zupancic Z, Askow AT, Barnes TM, Deutz MT, Ulanov AV, Dilger RN, Dilger AC, Willard JW, Mackenzie RW, Harseim JE, Hernandez-Saavedra D, Burd NA. Ingestion of a lipid-rich meat matrix blunts the postexercise increase of myofibrillar protein synthesis rates in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2025 Nov;122(5):1252-1264. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.09.001. Epub 2025 Sep 7.

  PMID: 40925524 DERIVED

Study Officials

• Nicholas A Burd, PhD

  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: This study will employ a semi-crossover model whereby participants will complete 2 of 3 conditions, each.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 16, 2023
• First Posted: May 25, 2023
• Study Start: July 15, 2023
• Primary Completion: April 9, 2024
• Study Completion: April 9, 2024
• Last Updated: July 16, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)