The anabolic response to a meal containing different amounts of protein is not limited by the maximal stimulation of protein synthesis in healthy young adults
Open accessAbstract
We have determined whole body protein kinetics, i.e., protein synthesis (PS), breakdown (PB), and net balance (NB) in human subjects in the fasted state and following ingestion of ∼40 g [moderate protein (MP)], which has been reported to maximize the protein synthetic response or ∼70 g [higher protein (HP)] protein, more representative of the amount of protein in the dinner of an average American diet. Twenty-three healthy young adults who had performed prior resistance exercise (X-MP or X-HP) or time-matched resting (R-MP or R-HP) were studied during a primed continuous infusion of l-[2 H 5]phenylalanine and l-[2 H 2]tyrosine. Subjects were randomly assigned into an exercise (X, n = 12) or resting (R, n = 11) group, and each group was studied at the two levels of dietary protein intake in random order. PS, PB, and NB were expressed as increases above the basal, fasting values (mg·kg lean body mass−1·min−1). Exercise did not significantly affect protein kinetics and blood chemistry. Feeding resulted in positive NB at both levels of protein intake: NB was greater in response to the meal containing HP vs. MP ( P < 0.00001). The greater NB with HP was achieved primarily through a greater reduction in PB and to a lesser extent stimulation of protein synthesis (for all, P < 0.0001). HP resulted in greater plasma essential amino acid responses ( P < 0.01) vs. MP, with no differences in insulin and glucose responses. In conclusion, whole body net protein balance improves with greater protein intake above that previously suggested to maximally stimulating muscle protein synthesis because of a simultaneous reduction in protein breakdown.
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A 70 g dose of protein promoted a more favorable net balance of protein when compared to a 40 g dose due to a stronger attenuation of rates of muscle protein breakdown.
“Kim and colleagues [140] recently reported that a 70 g dose of protein promoted a more favorable net balance of protein when compared to a 40 g dose due to a stronger attenuation of rates of muscle protein breakdown.”
From International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise (2017) · cites this paper as [140]
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“However, it is also possible that in our study a stimulation of MPS after exercise was diminished over the 7-h experimental time period (22) as it has been shown that MPS response generally peaks within 2 h (2, 11).”
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International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise
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“creased rates of MPS [31, 135, 136], Kim and colleagues [140] recently reported that a 70 g dose of protein promoted a more favorable net balance of protein when compared to a 40 g dose due to a stronger attenuation of rates of muscle protein breakdown.”
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Kim, I.-Y., Schutzler, S., Schrader, A., Spencer, H. J., Azhar, G., Ferrando, A. A., & Wolfe, R. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (US)
- Corresponding author
- Kim, Il-Young
- Venue
- American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism
- Publisher
- American Physiological Society
- Published
- 2016-01-01
- Volume
- 310
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- E73-E80
- ISSN
- 0193-1849 (ISSN-L)
- 1522-1555
- PMC
- PMC4675798
- OpenAlex
- W2191304626
- Cited by
- 109
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 4
- FWCI
- 5.33
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (UL1TR000039, KL2TR000063)
- National Institute on Aging (AG028718, P30AG028718)
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Clinical Nutrition and Gastroenterology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
- Keywords
- protein intake, protein synthesis, protein degradation, net protein balance, muscle protein synthesis, resistance training, essential amino acids, plasma amino acids, insulin response, glycemic response, phenylalanine, tyrosine
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Body Composition, Dietary Proteins, Female, Humans, Male, Metabolism, Muscle Proteins, Random Allocation, Protein Biosynthesis, Exercise, Muscle, Skeletal, Resistance Training, Young Adult, Meals, Healthy Volunteers
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