ClinicalTrials.Veeva

Menu

Insect Protein and Muscle Protein Signaling

University of Aarhus logo

University of Aarhus

Status

Completed

Conditions

Sarcopenia

Treatments

Dietary Supplement: insect, pea or whey protein

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT04633694
Proteinlab P4 Insect

Details and patient eligibility

About

Randomized parallel study investing the effect of intake of different protein sources (whey, insect and pea) on the muscle protein synthesis. Activation of the signaling pathway leading to muscle protein synthesis is investigated by western blotting and Real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR or PCR). Urine, blood and muscle is moreover investigated by metabolomics analysis.

Full description

Background:

Sarcopenia is a syndrome highly prevalent in the older population, characterized by muscle loss and a decrease in muscle strength. This leads to loss of physical function, decreased life quality and well-being and an increased risk of early death. Research has shown that both ingestion of protein and physical activity is able to diminish the loss of muscle mass during aging and thereby reduce the prevalence of sarcopenia and diminish the consequence of the disease. This study will investigate if more sustainable protein sources of good quality can increase the muscle protein synthesis and thereby prevent sarcopenia.

Aim:

The aim of this project is to investigate the effects of insect protein on the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis. The effects of protein will both be studied alone and in combination with exercise in perspective of preventing loss of both muscle mass and muscle strength. The potential of insect protein will be elucidated by comparison with other alternative plant-based protein sources in this case pea protein. In addition, whey protein will be included as a positive control as it may be regarded as the most established dietary protein source combatting muscle loss.

Method:

Young(18-30 years old) healthy men (n=60) are randomized in 3 groups to ingest either insect protein, pea protein or whey protein. Urine are collected 24 hours prior to the experiment while a blood sample and a muscle biopsy is collected at the beginning of the study. The subjects are instructed to perform one-leg exercise (knee extension, 5 sets of 10 repetitions, 10 repetitions-maximum) after which the subjects ingest the assigned protein bolus. Urine and blood samples are collected in the following hours and one muscle biopsy is collected from both the exercised and the non-exercised leg at 3 hours after protein ingestion. The expression of messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein related to the mTORC pathway in the muscle is investigated by qPCR and western blotting. In addition, metabolites in urine, blood plasma and muscle tissue are investigated by metabolomics analysis.

Enrollment

50 patients

Sex

Male

Ages

18 to 30 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  • male
  • 18-30 year
  • able to read and understand danish

Exclusion criteria

  • smoking
  • resistance training more than 1 time pr month
  • endurance training more than 2 hours pr week
  • Allergy toward shellfish, house dust mites or the protein sources.
  • knee problems effecting the exercise
  • weight change more than 5 kg the last half year
  • medicine which can effect the protein turnover
  • Disease in joint, or muscle as well as metabolic diseases.

Trial design

Primary purpose

Prevention

Allocation

Randomized

Interventional model

Parallel Assignment

Masking

Double Blind

50 participants in 3 patient groups

Insect protein
Experimental group
Description:
The participants are are given insect protein
Treatment:
Dietary Supplement: insect, pea or whey protein
Pea protein
Experimental group
Description:
The participants are are given pea protein
Treatment:
Dietary Supplement: insect, pea or whey protein
Whey protein
Experimental group
Description:
The participants are are given whey protein
Treatment:
Dietary Supplement: insect, pea or whey protein

Trial contacts and locations

1

Loading...

Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

Clinical trials

Find clinical trialsTrials by location
© Copyright 2026 Veeva Systems