Ketones and Muscle Protein Synthesis
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
Ketones are natural substances normally produced by the body during prolonged fasting and starvation, or in response to a "ketogenic" diet to be used as fuel by the brain and muscles. Ketones are therefore similar to dietary proteins, carbohydrates and fats since they represent a source of energy for the body. In addition to serving as a source of energy, ketones have also been shown to stimulate increased rates of muscle protein synthesis in humans.
The ingestion of dietary protein is well established to stimulate an increase in the rate of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle. The rate of muscle protein synthesis can be maximized following the intake of 20g of protein. As a result, smaller doses of protein (i.e. 10g) represent a sub-optimal dose of protein because there is still room for improvement concerning muscle protein synthesis.
Recently ketone-containing food products have become available that elevate ketone levels in the body without the need for ketogenic diets or prolonged fasting. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to measure skeletal muscle protein synthesis rates after ingesting the following:
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Ketone monoester
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Ketone monoester supplemented with sub-optimal dose of whey protein
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Sub-optimal dose of whey protein
It is hypothesized that muscle protein synthesis rates will increase following the ingestion of a ketone-containing beverage. Further, muscle protein synthesis rates will be enhanced when the ketone-containing beverage and sub-optimal protein dose are taken together.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Experimental: Ketone Ketone monoester supplement (R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate based on participants' body weight (0.36g/kg body weight) and carbohydrate control. |
Dietary Supplement: Ketone
Ketone monoester supplement (R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate based on participants' body weight (0.36g/kg body weight)
Isocaloric carbohydrate control: dextrose + vanilla flavouring
|
| Experimental: Ketone + Protein Ketone monoester supplement (R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate based on participants' body weight (0.36g/kg body weight) and 10g of whey protein. |
Dietary Supplement: Ketone + Protein
Ketone monoester supplement (R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate based on participants' body weight (0.36g/kg body weight)
10g Whey Protein
L-[ring-2H5]-phenylalanine tracer (enriched to 4%)
|
| Experimental: Protein Carbohydrate control and 10g of whey protein. |
Dietary Supplement: Protein
Isocaloric carbohydrate control: dextrose + stevia
10g Whey Protein
L-[ring-2H5]-phenylalanine tracer (enriched to 4%)
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Fractional synthetic rate of muscle protein synthesis (myofibrillar) [0-5 hours in the post-prandial period]
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Fractional synthetic rate of muscle protein synthesis (myofibrillar) [0-3 hours in the pre-prandial period; 0-2 hours, and 2-5 hours into the post-prandial period]
- Plasma enrichments (in moles percent excess) of L-[ring-2H5]-phenylalanine [3 hours pre-prandial to 5 hours post-prandial]
- Plasma glucose concentration (mmol/L) [3 hours pre-prandial to 5 hours post-prandial]
- Plasma insulin concentration (pmol/L) [3 hours pre-prandial to 5 hours post-prandial]
- Plasma amino acid concentrations (mmol/L) [3 hours pre-prandial to 5 hours post-prandial]
- Capillary blood Beta-OHB concentrations (mmol/L) [0-5 hours in the post-prandial period]
- Signaling molecule phosphorylation status [0, 2, and 5 hours into the post-prandial period]
The use of Western blots to measure the phosphorylation status of signaling molecules involved in protein synthesis ie. mTOR, p70S6k, 4E-BP1
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
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Male
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Aged between 18-35 years inclusive
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Healthy, moderately active
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BMI < 30 kg/m2 and > 18.5 kg/m2
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Having given informed consent
Exclusion Criteria:
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Presence of any identified metabolic or intestinal disorders
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Use of tobacco products
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Allergies to milk proteins (whey or casein)
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Lactose intolerance
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Phenylketonuria (PKU)
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A history of neuromuscular problems
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Previous participation in amino acid tracer studies
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Adherence to a strict vegetarian or vegan diet
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Current use of ketone supplements or adherence to a ketogenic diet
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Use of medications known to affect protein metabolism
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Diagnosis of Diabetes
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Engagement in sports or physical exercise 5 or more days per week
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exercise Metabolism and Nutrition Research Laboratory | Montreal | Quebec | Canada | H2W 1S4 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- McGill University
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Tyler A Churchward-Venne, Ph.D., McGill University
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
None provided.- A11-M51-19A