NCT07155824

Impact of Plant Proteins and Exercise on Protein Metabolism in Older Adults

Innovative Plant Proteins Fibre and Physical Activity Solutions to Modulate Whole Body and Skeletal Muscle Protein Metabolism in Older Adults

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 12 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand · Academic / Other
• Sex: Male
• Age: 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

To gain mechanistic insights by examining the impact of innovative plant-protein fibre products, physical activity interventions on digestibility, amino acid bioavailability and whole-body protein metabolism in older persons

Detailed description

Objective : to examine splanchnic extraction (SE), peripheral amino acid (AA) bioavailability and utilization (protein retention) from innovative plant proteins products, and muscle signalling markers before and after a physical activity (PA) program in inactive older persons A randomized, crossover study including 12 inactive older men (65+ yrs) will be performed in order to compare the selected plant protein product to whey protein when included into a complete meal. During a kinetic day, each participant will consume alternatively, on 2 separate occasions, a test meal containing a plant protein mixture or 30 g whey protein. The methodology of stable isotope tracers: \[15N\] Leucine added to test meal and \[1-13C\] leucine administered intravenously will be used throughout a kinetic day, to evaluate the splanchnic extraction, the dietary amino acid bioavailability, and the whole body protein metabolism (protein synthesis, protein breakdown, AA oxidation and net balance). Carbon dioxide production rates will be measured by open-circuit indirect calorimetry. All measurements will be performed before the meal and post-prandial in regular intervals for 420 min. In addition, postprandial plasma insulin and glucose will be determined in all samples, and a muscle biopsy will be collected post-prandially following the plant protein meal for examination of signalling markers of muscle plasticity (atrogin1, MURF1, LC3, BNIP3, Akt-dependent mTOR and FxO), metabolic adaptations (AMPK and PGC1alpha) and denervation (AChR subunits expression, agrin/MuSK/Lrp4, NCAM, and Myog) by UNIPD

Conditions

• Eldery People
• Sedentarity

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Whey and plant protein blend	The 12 week intervention will involve 2 weekly group exercise sessions incorporating strength and balance exercises, along with home-based exercise focused on increasing time spent walking.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-08-26
• Primary completion: 2027-02-01
• Completion: 2027-02-01
• First posted: 2025-09-04
• Last updated: 2025-09-04

Locations

1 site across 1 country: France