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Influence of protein source (cricket, pea, whey) on amino acid bioavailability and activation of the mTORC1 signaling pathway after resistance exercise in healthy young males

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Abstract

Purpose

New dietary proteins are currently introduced to replace traditional animal protein sources. However, not much is known about their bioaccessibility and ability to stimulate muscle protein synthesis compared to the traditional protein sources. We aimed to compare effects of ingesting a protein bolus (0.25 g/kg fat free mass) of either cricket (insect), pea, or whey protein on circulating amino acid levels and activation of the mTORC1 signaling pathway in the skeletal muscle at rest and after exercise.

Methods

In a randomized parallel controlled trial, young males (n = 50) performed a one-legged resistance exercise followed by ingestion of one of the three protein sources. Blood samples were collected before and in the following 4 h after exercise. Muscle biopsies were obtained at baseline and after 3 h from the non-exercised and exercised leg.

Results

Analysis of blood serum showed a significantly higher concentration of amino acids after ingestion of whey protein compared to cricket and pea protein. No difference between protein sources in activation of the mTORC1 signaling pathway was observed either at rest or after exercise.

Conclusion

Amino acid blood concentration after protein ingestion was higher for whey than pea and cricket protein, whereas activation of mTORC1 signaling pathway at rest and after exercise did not differ between protein sources.

Trial registration number

Clinicaltrials.org ID NCT04633694.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

Data were generated though accessing research infrastructure at Aarhus University, including FOODHAY (Food and Health Open Innovation Laboratory, Danish Roadmap for Research Infrastructure). The authors thank Janni Mosgaard Jensen and Gitte Kaiser Hartvigsen for technical support during the experimental days and for western blotting analysis.

Funding

This research was supported by Fonden til Lægevidenskabens Fremme, Copenhagen, Denmark and Beckett-fonden, Denmark (19–2-4811). The present study was part of Sofie Kaas Lanng’s PhD project, which was funded by CiFOOD, Centre for Innovative Food Research, Aarhus University and HCB’s Eliteforsk grant (6161-00016B).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark

    Sofie Kaas Lanng & Hanne Christine Bertram

  2. CiFOOD, Centre for Innovative Food Research, Aarhus University, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark

    Sofie Kaas Lanng & Hanne Christine Bertram

  3. Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    Mikkel Oxfeldt, Simon Stjernholm Pedersen, Frank Ted Johansen & Mette Hansen

  4. Department of Clinical Medicine, Diabetes and Hormones Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark

    Jeyanthini Risikesan

  5. Department of Clinical Medicine, Regional Hospital Horsens, 8700, Horsens, Denmark

    Trine Lejel

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  1. Sofie Kaas Lanng
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Correspondence to Hanne Christine Bertram.

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Lanng, S.K., Oxfeldt, M., Pedersen, S.S. et al. Influence of protein source (cricket, pea, whey) on amino acid bioavailability and activation of the mTORC1 signaling pathway after resistance exercise in healthy young males. Eur J Nutr 62, 1295–1308 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-022-03071-y

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