NCT05998603

Pre-sleep Protein Supplementation and Load Carriage Recovery in British Army Recruits

Pre-sleep Protein Supplementation Does Not Improve Recovery From Load Carriage 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

Load carriage is a common military activity and has been shown to induce acute exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) and impair muscle function. Protein supplementation can accelerate muscle recovery by attenuating EIMD and muscle function loss. This study investigated the impact of an additional daily bolus of protein prior to sleep throughout training on acute muscle recovery following a load carriage test in British Army recruits. Muscle function (maximal jump height), perceived muscle soreness and urinary markers of muscle damage were assessed before (PRE), immediately post (POST), 24-hours post (24h-POST) and 40-hours post (40h-POST) a load carriage test.

Detailed description

British Army basic training (BT) is physically demanding with new recruits completing multiple bouts of physical activity each day with limited recovery. Load carriage is one of the most physically demanding BT activities and has been shown to induce acute exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) and impair muscle function. Protein supplementation can accelerate muscle recovery by attenuating EIMD and muscle function loss. This study investigated the impact of an additional daily bolus of protein prior to sleep throughout training on acute muscle recovery following a load carriage test in United Kingdom (UK) British Army recruits. A mixed group (men/women) over over 120 new recruits were randomised to dietary control (CON), carbohydrate placebo (PLA), moderate (20g; MOD) or high (60g; HIGH) protein supplementation. Muscle function (maximal jump height), perceived muscle soreness and urinary markers of muscle damage were assessed before (PRE), immediately post (POST), 24-hours post (24h-POST) and 40-hours post (40h-POST) a load carriage test. The underlying aim of this study was to assess whether additional protein intake could attenuate aspects of muscle damage from an acute load carriage test including muscle function, muscle soreness and biomarkers of muscle damage during short term recovery.

Conditions

• Protein-energy; Imbalance
• Muscle Soreness

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	High protein intake	The participants received a 60g whey protein bolus each evening prior to sleep pre and post a military load carriage test.
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Moderate protein intake	The participants received a 20g whey protein bolus each evening prior to sleep pre and post a military load carriage test.
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Carbohydrate maltodextrin placebo	The participants received an isocaloric carbohydrate bolus each evening prior to sleep pre and post a military load carriage test.
OTHER	Control no supplementation	Control group, no supplementation, only basic training

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-05-01
• Primary completion: 2022-05-31
• Completion: 2022-05-31
• First posted: 2023-08-21
• Last updated: 2024-02-26

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Kingdom