Vegan Whey Protein for Muscle Anabolism and Post-exercise Recovery

NCT07119749 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: RG_21-198
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 27
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study will be a randomised, double-blind trial where participants will be randomly assigned to consume either a i) vegan whey protein; ii) a whey protein; or iii) a non-protein carbohydrate control supplement for 3 days following strenuous eccentric knee extension exercise. For the duration of the study period, participants will orally consume deuterated water stable isotope tracer (D2O). This, together with repeated blood sampling and muscle biopsies will allow for the calculation of free-living myofibrillar protein synthesis rates under conditions of rest and over 24-, 48- and 72-hours post-exercise recovery.

Conditions

Muscle Soreness

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Myofibrillar protein synthesis rates (iMyoPS)

  1\. Changes in myofibrillar protein synthesis rates of the exercised leg, both over time (1, 24, 48 and 72 hours) during post-exercise recovery and between supplemental groups (vegan whey, whey protein, and non-protein carbohydrate control). Determined by assessing the incorporation of deuterium in muscle, relative to saliva and blood deuterium enrichment.

  3 days pre-exercise and 3 days post-exercise

• Muscle function

  4\. Changes in leg muscle architecture followed by leg strength and neural activation will be assessed pre- and at 1, 8-, 24-, 48- and 72-hours post-exercise. Muscle architecture will be assessed using ultrasound and specifically, shear-wave elastography. Change in isometric strength will be assessed on a Biodex dynamometer at a set knee angle while simultaneously assessing neural activation. Participants will be asked to perform a maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) for 5 seconds while neural activation is measured using the interpolated twitch method. There will be 3 measurements for MVC and neural activation with 2 minutes rest between each attempt on visit

  pre- and 1, 4, 24, 48 and 72 hr post-exercise

• Intramuscular anabolic signalling

  2\. Changes in the total protein content and phosphorylation status of key anabolic signalling proteins, both over time post-exercise and between the supplemental groups. Assessed by Western Blotting of muscle biopsy samples

  pre- and 1-hr and 24-hr post-exercise

• Muscle morphology

  3\. Changes in muscle structure and morphology at pre- and at 1, 24-, 48- and 72-hours post-exercise will be assessed via immunofluorescence microscopy of muscle biopsy samples.

  pre- and 1, 24, 48 and 72 hr post-exercise

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Muscle soreness

  pre- and 1, 4, 24, 48 and 72 hr post-exercise

• Blood markers of muscle damage

  pre- and 1, 4, 24, 48 and 72 hr post-exercise

Study Arms (3)

Vegan whey protein

EXPERIMENTAL

3 x daily supplementation of 0.3 g per kg body mass of vegan whey protein isolate for 3 days following an acute bout of lower-body unilateral resistance exercise

Other: Stable isotope tracer consumption; Radiation: DXA scan; Behavioral: Controlled diet; Other: Saliva sample; Other: Blood sample; Procedure: Muscle biopsy; Behavioral: Resistance exercise; Other: Isometric strength test; Dietary Supplement: Supplement

Dairy whey protein

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

3 x daily supplementation of 0.3 g per kg body mass of dairy whey protein isolate for 3 days following an acute bout of lower-body unilateral resistance exercise

Other: Stable isotope tracer consumption; Radiation: DXA scan; Behavioral: Controlled diet; Other: Saliva sample; Other: Blood sample; Procedure: Muscle biopsy; Behavioral: Resistance exercise; Other: Isometric strength test; Dietary Supplement: Supplement

Carbohydrate placebo

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

3 x daily supplementation of isocaloric carbohydrate placebo for 3 days following an acute bout of lower-body unilateral resistance exercise

Other: Stable isotope tracer consumption; Radiation: DXA scan; Behavioral: Controlled diet; Other: Saliva sample; Other: Blood sample; Procedure: Muscle biopsy; Behavioral: Resistance exercise; Other: Isometric strength test; Dietary Supplement: Supplement

Interventions

Stable isotope tracer consumption OTHER

Daily consumption of oral deuterium oxide (0.3 ml per kg of lean body mass) to equilibrate in body water and become slowly incorporated into muscle protein, enabling measurement of muscle protein synthesis rates

Carbohydrate placebo; Dairy whey protein; Vegan whey protein

DXA scan RADIATION

Whole body DXA scan to assess lean body mass for prescription of deuterium oxide tracer

Carbohydrate placebo; Dairy whey protein; Vegan whey protein

Controlled diet BEHAVIORAL

Participant will be asked to consume a provided 6-day diet package that will be prepared by the research team. This package will include 3 meals per day plus snacks

Carbohydrate placebo; Dairy whey protein; Vegan whey protein

Saliva sample OTHER

Obtained from participants by asking them to spit into a tube each day during the study, for 11 days in total.

Carbohydrate placebo; Dairy whey protein; Vegan whey protein

Blood sample OTHER

Resting venous blood sample from a forearm vein on 6 separate occasions

Carbohydrate placebo; Dairy whey protein; Vegan whey protein

Muscle biopsy PROCEDURE

A highly experienced researcher will sample a small section of muscle (\~200 mg) from the vastus lateralis muscle under local anaesthetic (5 ml, 1% Lidocaine)

Carbohydrate placebo; Dairy whey protein; Vegan whey protein

Resistance exercise BEHAVIORAL

participants will complete 8 sets of 10 repetitions of unilateral eccentric knee extensions on an isokinetic dynamometer.

Carbohydrate placebo; Dairy whey protein; Vegan whey protein

Isometric strength test OTHER

Bilateral isometric strength will be measured using a well-established protocol on an isokinetic dynamometer.

Carbohydrate placebo; Dairy whey protein; Vegan whey protein

Supplement DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Consumption of 3 supplements a day for 3 days following resistance exercise. All supplements are commercially available.

Carbohydrate placebo; Dairy whey protein; Vegan whey protein

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 40 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Males, and females aged 18-40 years with a body mass index between 18.5 and 29.9 kg/m2
• Healthy individuals free from metabolic and respiratory disease
• Recreationally active or trained (complete at least 150 mins of moderate physical activity, or 75 mins of vigorous physical activity per week, identify with a certain sport, intend to compete in local competition)
• Understands and is willing, able and likely to comply with all study procedures and restrictions
• Demonstrates an understanding of the study and willingness to participate, as evidenced by voluntary written informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Aged \<18 or \>40 years
• Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
• Body mass index \<18.5 or \>29.9 kg/m2
• Regular participation (i.e., \>3 times weekly for the previous 3 months) in structured exercise or sport with a large eccentric component, such as trail running, soccer, basketball etc.
• Elite athletes or sports-people who compete nationally or internationally
• Habitual smokers
• History of respiratory or metabolic disease
• Any allergies or intolerances to the study materials, protein supplements and food ingredients to be used in this study. In particular, those with an allergy to lidocaine and lactose will be excluded
• Use of any medication or supplements known to affect muscle protein metabolism (e.g., beta-blockers, corticosteroids, analgesics, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories). Additional medications and/or supplementation aids (e.g., vitamins) will be deemed inappropriate based on the PI's discretion
• Any current or history of musculoskeletal injury
• Any history of medical or surgical events that may affect the study outcomes
• Previous participation in a research-based exercise protocol designed to induce severe muscle damage in the last 6 months
• Habitual protein intakes \<0.8 g/kg body mass/day or \> 2.2 g/kg body mass/day

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Birmingham: lead

Study Sites (1)

School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham

Birmingham, West Midlands, B15 2TT, United Kingdom

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Myalgia

Interventions

Absorptiometry, Photon; Blood Specimen Collection; Resistance Training; Dietary Supplements

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Muscular Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Neuromuscular Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Musculoskeletal Pain; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Radiography; Diagnostic Imaging; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Densitometry; Photometry; Chemistry Techniques, Analytical; Investigative Techniques; Specimen Handling; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Punctures; Surgical Procedures, Operative; Exercise Therapy; Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Patient Care; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Physical Conditioning, Human; Exercise; Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Food; Diet, Food, and Nutrition; Physiological Phenomena; Food and Beverages

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 6, 2025
• First Posted: August 13, 2025
• Study Start: September 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: November 22, 2024
• Study Completion: November 22, 2024
• Last Updated: August 13, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

GB (1)