NCT05998590

Pre-sleep Protein Supplementation in British Army Recruits

Pre-sleep Protein Supplementation Does Not Improve Performance, Body Composition and Recovery in British Army Recruits

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 122 (actual)
• Sponsor: Anglia Ruskin University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 35 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Dietary protein has been shown to be important to support physical training. For occupational demands such as military training, new recruits often fail to meet the recommended protein intake during basic training (BT), with negligible amounts consumed in the evening. As such, individuals undertaking BT may require higher intakes than the general population.This study assessed the influence of a daily bolus of protein prior to sleep on performance adaptations, body composition and recovery in British Army recruits.

Detailed description

Dietary protein is crucial for optimising physical training adaptations such as muscular strength and mass, which are key aims for athletic populations, including British Army recruits. New recruits fail to meet the recommended protein intake during basic training (BT), with negligible amounts consumed in the evening. This study aimed to assess the influence of a daily bolus of protein prior to sleep on performance adaptations, body composition and recovery in British Army recruits. The study will recruit a mixed cohort of \>120 new recruits from the United Kingdom (UK) British Army who will be randomised into a dietary control (CON), carbohydrate placebo (PLA), moderate (20g) protein (MOD) or high (60g) protein (HIGH) supplementation group. Supplements will be isocaloric and consumed daily on weekday evenings between 2000 and 2100h for 10 weeks during BT, alongside standardised dietary intake and BT activities. Performance tests (mid-thigh pull, medicine ball throw, 2km run time, maximal push-up and maximal vertical jump) and body composition will be assessed at the start and end of BT under standardised conditions. Dietary intake, energy expenditure, salivary hormones, urinary nitrogen balance, perceived muscle soreness, rating of perceived exertion, mood and fatigue will be assessed at the start, middle and end of BT. The underlying aim of this study is to assess whether inclusion of nocturnal protein supplementation will influence performance adaptations, body composition changes or acute recovery in British Army recruits.

Conditions

• Protein-energy; Imbalance
• Recovery
• Body Weight

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	High protein supplement	The participants received a 60g protein bolus each evening prior to sleep from week 3 to week 12 of training.
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Moderate protein supplement	The participants received a 20g protein bolus each evening prior to sleep from week 3 to week 12 of training.
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Carbohydrate placebo	The participants received an isocaloric carbohydrate bolus each evening prior to sleep from week 3 to week 12 of training.
OTHER	Control: No supplementation	The participants did not receive any supplementation but instead acted as a control group doing BT only

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-05-01
• Primary completion: 2022-05-31
• Completion: 2022-05-31
• First posted: 2023-08-21
• Last updated: 2023-08-21

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Kingdom