WheyProtein: The Effects of Whey Protein Supplements on Markers of Exercise-induced Muscle Damage in Resistance-trained Individuals
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
Intense exercise can bring about various side effects to one's body. Less range of motion, increased pain sensitivity, increased muscle swelling, and decreased muscle strength can occur immediately after exercise. These side effects can be referred to exercise induced muscle damage (EIMD) and can sometimes last many days. This study's goal is to evaluate the effects of various protein supplements on EIMD symptoms as well as on blood vessel health during the recovery period after muscle damaging exercise.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
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N/A |
Detailed Description
Eccentric exercise can result in exercise induced muscle damage (EIMD), which can cause an abundance of ultrastructural muscular disruption and pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidant activity in the body, leading to an impairment of muscular force production and range of motion, along with elevated pain sensitivity, increased swelling, and arterial stiffness. Pasture-raised dairy products, obtained from strictly grass-fed cows, have been shown to possess more anti-inflammatory-, antioxidant-, and antihypertensive-like biochemicals compared with conventional products (i.e., with a different nutrient composition from a diet rich in grains versus grasses). However, human research trials on these products, such as whey protein concentrate (WPC), are neglected. This study addresses this gap, with a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial that compares the effect of conventional WPC versus WPC supplementation reported to be derived from pasture-raised cows on vascular function and indirect markers of muscle damage and inflammation in response to eccentric EIMD in healthy, young, resistance-trained women and men. Thirty resistance-trained individuals will complete an intense EIMD bout consisting of eccentric barbell back squats and then will be assessed 24, 48, and 72 hours post-EIMD for muscle soreness, range of motion, maximal isometric voluntary contraction, peripheral fatigue via magnetic stimulation, countermovement jump, barbell back squat velocity, and vascular function (i.e., arterial stiffness via carotid femoral pulse wave velocity). Subjects will be grouped into a conventional WPC, pasture-raised WPC, and placebo supplementation group and consume their respective supplementation thrice daily immediately post-EIMD until the study's completion.
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Experimental: Pasture-raised whey protein whey protein from strictly grass fed cows |
Dietary Supplement: Pasture-raised whey protein
25 grams of protein delivered 3 times daily
Other Names:
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| Experimental: Conventional whey protein whey protein from conventional animal feeding operation |
Dietary Supplement: Conventional whey protein
25 grams of protein delivered 3 times daily
Other Names:
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| Placebo Comparator: Placebo Maltodextrin given in iso-caloric amounts to protein |
Dietary Supplement: Placebo
Iso-caloric placebo taken 3 times daily like the protein supplementation
Other Names:
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Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Titin [Four days]
Muscle damage assessment via urinary titin via ELISA (MBS2881644, Human Titin ELISA® Kit, MyBioSource.com, Inc., San Diego, USA). Units: pmol
- Isometric torque [Four days]
Isometric torque assessment of right leg extensors will be conducted at a knee angle of 90 degrees using a calibrated load cell (model Z Tension Load Cell; Dillon, Fairmont, MN) Units: Nm
- Range of motion [Four days]
Hamstring flexibility and stiffness will be measured using a sit-and-reach box (Lafayette Instrument Company, Lafayette, IN) test. Units: cm
- delayed onset muscle soreness [Four days]
Visual analog scale of muscle soreness (delayed onset muscle soreness; DOMS) - Knee extensor soreness will be assessed using a visual analogue scale with "no soreness" indicated at one end (score 0) and "unbearably painful" at the other (score 100). Units: arbitrary units
- Pain pressure threshold [Four days]
Muscle tenderness, known as pain pressure threshold, will be quantified using a digital algometer (Force One, Wagner Instruments, Greenwich, CT) on pre-marked sites at two specific points on the quadriceps (rectus femoris-RF and vastus lateralis-VL) and one on the calf (gastrocnemius-GM). Units: percentage change from baseline
- Peripheral Fatigue [Four days]
Peripheral fatigue will be assessed via magnetic stimulation (Magstim 200-2; Jali Medical, Newton, MA, USA) of the femoral nerve, which will be used to elicit a quadriceps twitch. Units: Nm
- Countermovement Jump [Four days]
A linear position transducer (GymAware Powertool; Kinetic Performance Technology, Canberra, Australia) interfaced with an iPad (Apple, CA, USA) will be used to calculate countermovement jump (CMJ) height. Units: cm
- Barbell back squat velocity [Four days]
The mean velocity of the barbell will be measured using the linear position transducer as per the load velocity profile relationship. Units: m/s
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Arterial Stiffness [Four days]
Utilizing carotid femoral pulse wave velocity via applanation tonometry, considered the non-invasive gold standard of central arterial stiffness, the ATCOR SphygmoCor® (Naperville, IL, USA) device will be utilized. Units: m/sec
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
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Men and women 18-40 years old
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≥3 months uninterrupted training of ≥3 days/week of resistance training
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Self-reported to be healthy
Exclusion Criteria:
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Not within defined age range
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History of allergy to dairy products
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History of experiencing pain while exercising in the lower extremities (i.e., hips/knees)
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Current use of anti-inflammatory/anti-pain medication (i.e., nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Tylenol, Advil, or Aleve
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Are pregnant or could possibly be pregnant by self-report
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People who answer 'yes' to any of the pre-participation screening questions on the PAR-Q questionnaire.
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana University School of Public Health | Bloomington | Indiana | United States | 47405 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- Indiana University
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Timothy D Mickleborough, Ph.D., Indiana University
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
None provided.- 12559