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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #336371
Title: Native whey induces higher and faster leucinemia than other whey protein supplements and milk: A randomized controlled trial

Author
item HAMARSLAND, HAVARD - Norwegian School Of Sport Sciences
item LARSEN LAAHNE, JOHN ALEKSANDER - Norwegian Olympic Federation
item PAULSEN, GORAN - Norwegian School Of Sport Sciences
item COTTER, MATTHEW - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item BORSHEIM, ELISABET - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item RAASTAD, TRULS - Norwegian School Of Sport Sciences

Submitted to: BMC Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/24/2017
Publication Date: 1/31/2017
Citation: Hamarsland, H., Larsen Laahne, J., Paulsen, G., Cotter, M., Borsheim, E., Raastad, T. 2017. Native whey induces higher and faster leucinemia than other whey protein supplements and milk: A randomized controlled trial. Biomed Central (BMC) Nutrition. 3:10. doi:10.1186/s40795-017-0131-9.

Interpretive Summary: The amount of muscle is an important factor in metabolic health and fitness in children and adults. Resistance exercise and protein intake are strong stimuli for building of muscle. The amino acid composition of protein and how fast the amino acids are absorbed from the intestine after protein ingestion and digestion, are important for how effective a specific protein is for building of muscle protein. The aim of this study was to compare amino acid concentrations in blood after ingestion of 20 grams of five distinct high quality dairy proteins (native whey, whey protein concentrate 80 (WPC-80), hydrolyzed whey, microparticulated whey, and milk proteins). Native whey is produced by filtration of unprocessed milk. Thus, native whey is a more intact protein compared to WPC-80 which is exposed to heating and acidification, and the amino acid profile may also be slightly different. Ten young healthy, recreationally active men ingested different milk protein supplements after a whole-body strength training session on five occasions in a randomized manner. Intake of native whey induced a faster and higher increase in plasma concentration of the amino acid leucine, when compared to the other protein supplements. This is important since this amino acid is particularly effective at stimulation of tissue protein synthesis pathways. All whey protein supplements showed faster kinetics for total essential and branched chain amino acids compared to milk. There were no major differences between studies in blood concentrations of glucose or urea, or recovery of muscle function after exercise. In summary, the main finding was that native whey induced the strongest increase in blood leucine, an important stimulator of muscle protein synthesis; thus, it appears that diets enriched with native dairy-derived whey may have a high potential for stimulating muscle protein synthesis and muscle mass. Further studies are needed to determine how age, childhood development and exercise impact the effectiveness of this protein on muscle health.

Technical Abstract: Resistance exercise and protein intake are both strong stimuli for muscle protein synthesis. The potential for a protein to acutely increase muscle protein synthesis seems partly dependent on absorption kinetics and the amino acid composition. The aim of this double-blinded randomized cross-over study was to compare blood amino acid kinetics after ingesting 20 grams of five distinct high quality dairy protein supplements (native whey, whey protein concentrate 80, hydrolysed whey, microparticulated whey, and milk proteins). Furthermore, we investigated whether differences in amino acid kinetics affected acute blood glucose and urea responses, and recovery of muscle function after a bout of strength training. Ten young healthy, recreationally active men ingested different milk protein supplements after a whole-body strength training session on five occasions in a randomized manner. Blood concentrations of amino acids, glucose and urea was measured before and 0, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes, and 22 and 30 hours post-exercise. Maximal voluntary isometric knee extension and counter movement jump were assessed before, immediately after, 6, 22 and 30 hours after exercise. Intake of native whey induced a faster and higher leucinemia than the other protein supplements (p<0.001). All whey protein supplements showed faster kinetics for total essential and branched chain amino acids compared to milk. There were no major differences between trials in blood concentrations of glucose or urea, or recovery of muscle function after exercise. Native whey induced the strongest leucinemia and appears to have a greater potential for stimulating muscle protein synthesis than other whey supplements and milk. Yet, we did not detect meaningful differences in blood glucose, urea or recovery of muscle function after the supplements. Future studies should investigate whether the increased leucinemia with native whey translates into greater muscle protein synthesis and muscle mass accretion over time.