Protein 1

Lewis James

PSC020
Learning objectives
Following your two protein lectures and associated reading,
you should be able to:
• Name which amino acids are essential/ oxidised
• Describe protein turnover at rest and during endurance/
resistance exercise training
• Describe how the following factors influence muscle
protein synthesis: amount of protein; protein source; co-
ingestion of carbohydrate; gender
• Explain how to optimise net muscle protein balance
Amino acids
20 amino acids

• 8 essential:  8 oxidised as fuel:

• Isoleucine  Alanine
• Leucine  Asparagine
• Lysine  Aspartate
• Methionine  Glutamate
• Phenylalanine  Isoleucine
• Threonine  Leucine
• Tryptophan  Lysine
• Valine  Valine
Protein turnover
• NPB = MPS – MPB
• NPB: Net muscle protein
balance
• MPS: Muscle protein synthesis
• MPB: Muscle protein
breakdown
• In sedentary individuals
skeletal muscle mass is
essentially stable
• Sedentary requirements:
• ~0.8 g/ kg/ day
• Measured by
• Nitrogen balance techniques
 Resistance exercise
Protein turnover refers to
the continual renewal or
replacement of protein. It
is defined by the balance
between protein synthesis
and protein breakdown

• At rest, MPS and MPB are

equal
• Ingestion of protein is what
causes MPS to increase

• Combining protein with

resistance exercise
increases MPS further

Phillips GSSI SSE

Resistance exercise
Muscle protein synthesis measurement
• Resistance exercise (often unilateral and lower body)
• Manipulation of post-exercise protein nutrition
• Infusion of labelled amino acids in combination with blood and
muscle sampling to determine protein synthesis
 Resistance exercise and NPB
• Resistance exercise (in a fasted
state) followed by MPS and MPB
measures at 3 h, 24 h and 48 h
• Resistance exercise increases
protein balance, but it is still
negative without protein intake

Phillips et al. Am J Physiol. 1997;2731:E99-107

Timing of protein intake and MPS
• Pre-exercise?
• Studies show positive/ no
effects
• During exercise?
• “Prime the pump”
• Might enhance MPS during
resistance exercise and
early recovery (Beelan et al.
2008)
• Post-exercise MPS?
 Timing of protein intake and MPS
• Amino acid-carbohydrate
mixture given 1 h or 3 h post-
exercise
• No difference in MPS between
feeding 1 h and 3 h post-
exercise
• No anabolic window
• Window of opportunity?

Rasmussen et al. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2001;281:E197-206.

 Distribution of protein intake

Areta et al. J Physiol. 2013;591:2319-31.

 Distribution of protein intake

• 20 g protein every 3 h
maximised MPS
compared to 10 g every
1.5 h or 40 g every 6 h

Areta et al. J Physiol. 2013;591:2319-31.

 Protein amount and MPS
• 0 g, 10 g, 20 g or 40 g
whey protein after
unilateral lower-body
resistance exercise.
• 20 g protein maximised
muscle protein synthesis
post-exercise and at rest
• Moore et al. (Am J Clin
Nutr. 2009;89:161-8)
reported same effects with
egg protein.

Witard et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;99:86-95.

Protein amount and MPS
• These studies suggest 20 g is sufficient to maximise
MPS. Is this a fair conclusion?

Body Size Active Muscle Mass

 Protein amount and MPS
• 20 g or 40 g whey protein
after whole-body resistance
exercise in males with low
and high lean body mass
• LLBM: ~76 kg, ~59 kg LBM
• HLBM: ~98 kg, 77 kg LBM

• No effect of body size

• 40 g whey protein increased
MPS to a greater extent
than 20 g

Macnaughton et al. Physiol Rep. 2016;4: e12893.

Protein amount and MPS
 Sex difference and MPS
• Lower body resistance
exercise followed by 25 g
whey protein in 10 young
men/ women
• No sex difference
in MPS

West et al. J Appl Physiol 2012;112:1805-13.

 Protein source and MPS
• Milk (animal protein) increases MPS more than the
same amount of soy (plant protein)

Wilkinson et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;85:1031-40.

 Protein source and MPS
• Whey, casein or soy protein, each
providing 10 g EAA (~22 g protein)
• Post-prandial MPS: whey > soy >
casein when consumed post-
exercise

Tang et al. J Appl Physiol. 2009;107:987-992.

 Rate of delivery and MPS?
• Manipulate feeding to alter
amino acid delivery
• Rapid delivery of amino
acids increases MPS

West et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;94:795-803.

 Co-ingestion of carbohydrate and MPS
• 25 g whey protein or
25 g whey + 50 g maltodextrin
• No effect of carbohydrate on
MPS

Staples et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43:1154-1161.

 Overnight recovery
• Evening exercise followed by
post-exercise recovery drink and
pre-bed recovery drink containing
0 g or 40 g casein protein
• Pre-bed protein increased
overnight MPS

Res et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012;44:1560-9.

 Chronic effects of post-exercise milk intake
• 12 weeks resistance exercise training (5 sessions a week)
with milk, soy or carbohydrate intake post-exercise
• Milk enhanced body composition changes with resistance
exercise 5
Change from baseline (kg)

Carb
4 Soy
Milk
3
2
1
0
-1
-2
Body mass Fat Mass Fat and bone free
mass
Hartman et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;86:373-81.
 Chronic effects of post-exercise milk intake
• Same protocol in females with milk or carbohydrate
intake post-exercise
• Milk enhanced body composition changes with
resistance exercise

Josse et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010 Jun;42(6):1122-30.

Recommendations to maximise NPB
1. Exercise is vital
2. Consume sufficient energy
3. Consume sufficient high-quality protein
4. Consume at least 20-25 g every ~3-4 h
• >0.3 g/ kg / meal
5. Consume a serving of protein before bed
• ~30-40 g
6. Plan protein intake for breakfast
Endurance exercise
 Endurance exercise and protein balance
• BCAA’s oxidised during exercise
• Oxidation rate is dependent on CHO
availability
• Generally contribute <5% energy
• Not a major contributor
• Can be up to 15% in some situations
• Required for mitochondrial
biogenesis
• Increased requirements for
endurance athletes During endurance exercise,
leucine oxidation increases

Wolfe et al. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol. 1982;52:458-66.

 Resistance vs. endurance training
• 10 weeks progressive
endurance/ resistance
training
• Stable isotope methods
used before and after
training to determine
myofibrillar and
mitochondrial protein
synthesis
• With training, protein
synthesis responses
become exercise specific
Wilkinson et al. J Physiol. 2008;586:3701-17.
 Protein intake and MPS
• 8 males- 3 h cycling + 3 h
recovery
• 0.49 g/kg/h carbohydrate
• 0.49 g/kg/h carbohydrate +
0.16 g/kg/h protein
• Protein intake increase
mixed muscle protein
synthesis compared to CHO
alone

Hulston et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43:1635-1642.

 Protein intake and MPS
• 10 trained cyclists 90
min cycling + 4 h
recovery
• 50 g carbohydrate
• 50 g carbohydrate
+ 20 g protein
• Protein intake
increases MPS, but
only in the myofibrillar
fraction

Breen et al. J Phys. 2011;589:4011-4025.

 Protein intake during exercise and performance
• 12 trained cyclists
• 2 h steady state ride
followed by ~1 h
performance test
• During ride:
• 65 g/ h carbohydrate
• 65 g/ h carbohydrate
+19 g/ h protein
• Performance similar
between trials

Breen et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010 Jun;42(6):1140-8.

 Protein and muscle glycogen resynthesis

Betts and Williams. Sports Med. 2010;40:941-59.

 Protein and post-exercise rehydration
• Exercise-induced
dehydration followed by 1600 #
rehydration with two 1400

Urine volume (ml)

drinks 1200
1000 1212 ml
• CHO:
800 931 ml
• 65 g/ L carbohydrate 600
• CHO + P: 400
• 40 g/ L carbohydrate 200
• 25 g/ L milk protein 0
• Addition of milk protein C CP

enhances rehydration

James et al. Br J Nutr. 2011;105:393-9.

 Endurance training adaptation
• 16 men and 16 women in 3
groups:
• CM: carbohydrate protein
• CHO: carbohydrate
• PLA: placebo
• 5 sessions/ week for 4.5 weeks
• Drinks: immediately and 1 h
post-exercise
• Carbohydrate and protein
intake enhances adaptation to
endurance training (VO2 max)

Ferguson-Stegall et al. J Nutr Metab. 2011;2011:623182.

 Alcohol and MPS

Parr et al. PLoS One. 2014 ;9:e88384.

 Alcohol and MPS
• Alcohol ingestion in large amounts reduces muscle
protein synthesis (1.5 g/kg body mass, 12±2 standard
drinks)

Parr et al. PLoS One. 2014 ;9:e88384.

Athletic protein requirements
• Protein requirements of athletes
• Sedentary: 0.8 g/ kg
• Endurance athletes: 1.2-1.6 g/ kg
• Strength athletes: 1.2-1.7 g/ kg
• 3000 kcal/ day (12-15% protein)
• 90-113 g/ day (1.3-1.6 g/ kg (for a 70 kg athlete)
• When protein is consumed is important!
• Increased requirement during energy restriction: 2 g/ kg
• Reduces lean tissue loss
Athletic protein intakes
Van Erp-Baart et al, 1989
3
Protein (g/ kg)

0
1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000

Energy (kcal)
 Reading
• Essential reading
• Phillips and van Loon (2011) Journal of Sports Sciences, 29, S29-38

• Further reading
• Other references from lecture/ as appropriate