Skip to content

Disturbances in BCAA Metabolism and the Effects of Feeding and Exercise in COPD

The Effects of Exercise on the Metabolic Fate of Branched Chain Amino Acids in Relation to Aging and Chronic Disease.

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01418469
Enrollment
24
Registered
2011-08-17
Start date
2002-12-31
Completion date
2004-12-31
Last updated
2011-08-17

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Keywords

COPD, protein metabolism, branched-chain amino acid metabolism, exercise, protein feeding

Brief summary

Studies on resting human muscle show that ingestion of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAA): leucine, valine and isoleucine have an anabolic effect on muscle protein metabolism. However, the effects of BCAA intake on protein metabolism during exercise are less clear. When BCAA were supplied as single amino acids, without other amino acids and/or carbohydrates, no effects were observed on protein kinetics. On the other hand, ingestion of BCAA during running appeared to reduce the catabolic effect of running on muscle protein metabolism. These experiments were all performed with mixtures of the BCAA with or without carbohydrates but not in the form of complete meals with food protein as a basis. Therefore, it is still unknown whether a protein meal, containing a substantial amount of BCAA is beneficial during exercise by inducing an anabolic effect. Whey and Casein protein contain a substantial amount of BCAA in contrast to Soy protein. Therefore, it is hypothesized that milk-based proteins are a better and more physiological source of BCAA during exercise and will lead to more protein anabolism. Most of the available studies have been carried out in young and fit humans but there are hardly any data are available in the increasing population of the elderly. Therefore it is still unknown whether a BCAA rich protein meal can enhance the anabolic effect of exercise in older individuals. Besides sarcopenia, a substantial part of the elderly is suffering from a chronic systemic disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD represents an important health care problem. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death and will be the third leading cause worldwide in 2020. Besides the local impairment, COPD is a chronic wasting disease, associated with alterations in intermediary metabolism. Substantial disturbances have been found in BCAA (and related) metabolism in these patients at rest and during exercise. It might therefore be of clinical relevance to study the metabolic effects of BCAA rich protein meals in patients with COPD at rest and during exercise.

Detailed description

In this study we investigate whether milk based protein sources of BCAA (casein and whey proteins) are superior to soy protein in the stimulation of protein anabolism before, during and after cycle exercise in COPD and healthy elderly and young subjects, and whether adding BCAA to soy protein will increase protein anabolism in these subjects. To investigate Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine metabolism during and after exercise in COPD and healthy subjects

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTCaseinate

18 mg protein/kg body weight caseinate and 46 mg maltodextrin / kg body weight per 20 min sip feeding

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTWhey protein isolate

18 mg protein/kg body weight whey protein isolate and 46 mg maltodextrin / kg body weight per 20 min sip feeding

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTSoy

18 mg protein/kg body weight soy and 46 mg maltodextrin / kg body weight per 20 min sip feeding

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTsoy+BCAA

18 mg protein/kg body weight soy+BCAA and 46 mg maltodextrin / kg body weight per 20 min sip feeding

Sponsors

European Dairy Association (EDA), Brussels
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
Maastricht University Medical Center
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
45 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Irreversible chronic airflow limitation (FEV1 \<70% of predicted) * Clinically stable condition

Exclusion criteria

* Oxygen supplementation * Respiratory tract infection or exacerbation of his disease at least 4 weeks prior to the study * Oral corticosteroids as maintenance medication * Other concomitant metabolic disease (ie malignancy, cardiac failure, recent surgery, severe endocrine, hepatic or renal disorder)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in Net whole body protein synthesis6 hoursNet whole body protein synthesis during protein feeding and the response to a 20 min cycle exercise bout

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in Leucine turnover6 hoursLeucine turnover during protein feeding and the response to a 20 min cycle exercise bout
Change in Isoleucine turnover6 hoursIsoleucine turnover during protein feeding and the response to a 20 min cycle exercise bout
Change in Valine turnover6 hoursValine turnover during protein feeding and the response to a 20 min cycle exercise bout
Change in plasma lactate concentration6 hoursPlasma lactate during protein feeding and the response to a 20 min cycle exercise bout
Change in whole body protein synthesis rate6 hoursWhole body protein synthesis rate during protein feeding and the response to 20 min cycle exercise bout
Change in plasma amino acids concentrations6 hoursPlasma amino acid concentrations during protein feeding and the response to a 20 min cycle exercise bout
Splanchnic extraction of amino acids during protein feeding6 hoursSplanchnic extraction of amino acids during protein feeding and the response to a 20 min cycle exercise bout
Change in whole body protein breakdown rate6 hoursWhole body protein breakdown rate during protein feeding and the response to cycle exercise
Change in NH3 concentration6 hoursPlasma NH3 during protein feeding and the response to a 20 min cycle exercise bout

Countries

Netherlands

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 26, 2026