Diet Synergy in Muscle Protein Synthesis

NCT07367854 | Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: IRB25-1113UI Award #123640
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 15
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

In the present semi-crossover randomized design, 15 recreationally active young adults (19-40 y) will receive stable isotope tracer infusions and perform a single bout of resistance exercise. Immediately after exercise, participants will ingest either 1 medium russet potato with skins and 2 ounce-equivalent lean ground beef combination (274 kcals, 19.3 g protein, 5 g fat, 37 g carbohydrates, and 4 g fiber), 2 slices of white bread and beef combination (262 kcals, 19.8 g protein, 6.8 g fat, 28 g carbohydrates, and 1.8 g fiber) or 2 ounce-equivalent beef (93% lean meat/7% fat; 110 kcals, 14.8 g protein, and 5 g fat). Repeated blood and muscle biopsies will be collected to determine whole body leucine kinetics, amino acid concentrations, anabolic signaling and myofibrillar protein synthesis rates during the trials.

Conditions

Muscle Protein Synthetic Response to Protein; Muscle Protein Synthesis; Muscle Health; Protein Metabolism; Recreational Activities; Isotope Labeling

Keywords

protein; leucine kinetics; food matrix; protein synthesis; potato; stable isotope tracers; constant infusions; food combinations

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Myofibrillar protein fractional synthesis rate

  Myofibrillar protein synthesis rates will be assessed during the postabsorptive and postprandial periods of experimental primed-constant stable isotope infusions.

  Baseline muscle biopsy (-150 minutes), Postabsorptive muscle biopsy (-30 minutes), and Postprandial muscle biopsy (300 minutes)

• Whole body leucine kinetics

  Whole body leucine kinetics will be determined via breath sample collection during the postabsorptive and postprandial periods of experimental primed-constant stable isotope infusions and analyzed via LC/MS/MS.

  Breath sample collection time points: -210, -150, -90, -60, -30, 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, and 300 minutes.

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Activation of anabolic signaling targets

  Baseline muscle biopsy (-150 minutes), Postabsorptive muscle biopsy (-30 minutes), and Postprandial muscle biopsy (300 minutes)

Study Arms (3)

Potato and Beef (PB)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will ingest 1 medium russet potato with skins and 2 ounce-equivalent lean ground beef combination (274 kcals, 19.3 g protein, 37 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat, 4 g fiber) after resistance exercise.

Behavioral: Resistance Exercise; Dietary Supplement: Potato and Beef

Bread and Beef (BB)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will ingest 2 slices white bread and 2 ounce-equivalent lean ground beef combination (262 kcals, 19.8 g protein, 28 g carbohydrate, 6.8 g fat, 1.8 g fiber) after resistance exercise.

Behavioral: Resistance Exercise; Dietary Supplement: Bread and Beef

Beef (B)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will ingest 2 ounce-equivalent lean ground beef (110 kcals, 14.8 g protein, 5 g fat) after resistance exercise.

Behavioral: Resistance Exercise; Dietary Supplement: Beef

Interventions

Resistance Exercise BEHAVIORAL

Participants will perform leg press and leg extension immediately prior to ingestion of either potato-beef combination, bread-beef combination, or beef alone.

Beef (B); Bread and Beef (BB); Potato and Beef (PB)

Potato and Beef DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Participants will ingest baked russet potato and cooked ground beef immediately after resistance exercise.

Potato and Beef (PB)

Bread and Beef DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Participants will ingest white bread and cooked ground beef immediately after resistance exercise.

Bread and Beef (BB)

Beef DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Participants will ingest cooked ground beef immediately after resistance exercise.

Beef (B)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 19 Years - 40 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Age 19-40 yrs
• Pre-menopausal
• Recreationally-active
• Weight stable for prior 6 months

You may not qualify if:

• Age outside of range (20 - 35 yrs)
• Pregnancy
• Irregular menstrual cycles (i.e., \~21 day or \~35 day cycle)
• Participation in previous research using L-\[1-13C\] leucine and L-\[ring-2H5\] phenylalanine
• Participation in other ongoing research that interferes with this study (e.g., conflicting diet, activity interventions, etc.)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: lead

Study Sites (2)

Louise Freer Hall

Urbana, Illinois, 61801, United States

NOT YET RECRUITING

Louise Freer Hall

Urbana, Illinois, 61801, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Resistance Training; Red Meat; Bread

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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; Meat; Food; Diet, Food, and Nutrition; Physiological Phenomena; Food and Beverages

Central Study Contacts

Nicholas A Burd (Full Professor), PhD

CONTACT

2172440970; naburd@illinois.edu

Calvin Chen, PhD Student

CONTACT

2173906655; cw148@illinois.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Model Details: Randomized semi-crossover design

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 4, 2025
• First Posted: January 26, 2026
• Study Start: March 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 31, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2028
• Last Updated: May 1, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (2)