The Anabolic Properties of a Lipid-rich Pork Matrix

NCT ID: NCT05876299

Last Updated: 2025-07-16

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 16 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-07-15
• Study Completion Date: 2024-04-09

Brief Summary

The amount and quality of skeletal muscle mass determines physical performance, but also a significant contributor to metabolic health. As such, the maintenance of skeletal muscle mass is relevant across the lifespan to remain active in family and community life. Food ingestion, particularly protein, is one of the main anabolic to skeletal muscle tissue by stimulating muscle protein synthesis rates. There have been multiple attempts to identify specialized performance nutrition products (e.g., various isolated protein powders) to maximize the anabolic properties of dietary protein on muscle. Our research group, however, has advocated for a food focus approach to meet dietary protein requirements. Particularly, we propose that whole foods demonstrate food matrix effects (nutrient-nutrient interactions) that creates a greater anabolic action on muscle beyond what amino acids can create alone. Therefore, the objective of this study is to identify the anabolic properties of consuming lipid-rich pork products when compared to their leaner counter-parts. Our working hypothesis that the ingestion of 84% or 96% lean ground pork condition will stimulate a greater increase in muscle protein synthesis rates compared to an isocaloric carbohydrate beverage in healthy adults. We further hypothesize that the ingestion of 84% lean pork will augment the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis rates to a greater extent than 96% lean ground pork. To achieve our objective, we will recruit 15 healthy men and women (20-50 y) to receive prime-constant infusions to directly measure muscle protein synthesis rates before and after treatment ingestion using our lab's established methods.

Conditions

Muscle Protein Synthesis

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Low-Fat Pork

This condition will consist of consuming 90.2 g of low-fat (4.90% crude fat) ground pork.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

95.1% Lean Pork

Intervention Type: OTHER

This intervention will contain 120 kcals, 4.4 g fat, and 20 g protein from low-fat ground pork.

High-Fat Pork

This condition will consist of consuming 109.6 g of high-fat (18.84% crude fat) ground pork.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

81.16% Lean Pork

Intervention Type: OTHER

This intervention will contain 266 kcals, 20.6 g fat, and 20 g protein from high-fat ground pork.

Carbohydrate Control

This condition will consist of a carbohydrate beverage.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Carbohydrate Beverage

Intervention Type: OTHER

This intervention will contain 266 kcals and 73.3 g carbohydrate from a carbohydrate beverage.

Interventions

95.1% Lean Pork

This intervention will contain 120 kcals, 4.4 g fat, and 20 g protein from low-fat ground pork.

Intervention Type: OTHER

81.16% Lean Pork

This intervention will contain 266 kcals, 20.6 g fat, and 20 g protein from high-fat ground pork.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Carbohydrate Beverage

This intervention will contain 266 kcals and 73.3 g carbohydrate from a carbohydrate beverage.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age 20-50 yrs
• Pre-menopausal
• Recreationally active
• Weight stable for prior 6 months

Exclusion Criteria

• Age outside of range (20 - 50 yrs)
• Pregnancy
• Irregular menstrual cycles
• Participation in previous research using [13C6]phenylalanine
• Participation in other ongoing research that interferes with this study (e.g., conflicting diet, activity interventions, etc.)
• Any hospitalization or surgery for a metabolic, cardiovascular, or neuromusculoskeletal complication within the past year
• Allergy or hypersensitivity to local anesthetics, latex, or adhesives (bandages, medical tape, etc.)
• Excess scarring after injury
• History of excess bleeding after cut
• Chronic or frequent dizziness/fainting, and arm or leg weakness/numbness
• Arthritis
• Tumors
• Mental Illness
• Hepatorenal, cardiovascular musculoskeletal, autoimmune, or neurological disease or disorder
• Predisposition to hypertrophic scarring or keloid formation
• Physical activity limitations
• Consumption of ergogenic-levels of dietary supplements that may affect muscle mass (e.g., creatine, HMB), insulin-like substances, or anabolic/catabolic pro-hormones (e.g., DHEA) within 6 weeks prior to participation
• Consumption of thyroid, androgenic, or other medications known to affect endocrine function
• Consumption of medications known to affect protein metabolism (e.g., prescription-strength corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, or acne medication)
• Unwillingness to comply with study procedures
• Weight unstable (variation >5% of bodyweight in last 6-12 months)
• Current or previous tobacco use with last 6 months
• Obesity (body mass index; BMI > 30 kg/m^2)
• Score of less than 14 or greater than 24 on Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire
• Phenylketonuria
• Anyone hospitalized previously for COVID-19 without a cardiovascular workup screening for cardiovascular issues post-infection
• Anyone recovering from COVID-19 infection within the preceding 10 days

• Minimum Eligible Age: 20 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 50 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Nicholas A Burd, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Locations

Louise Freer Hall (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

Urbana, Illinois, United States

Countries

United States

References

Zupancic Z, Askow AT, Barnes TM, Deutz MT, Ulanov AV, Dilger RN, Dilger AC, Willard JW, Mackenzie RW, Harseim JE, Hernandez-Saavedra D, Burd NA. Ingestion of a lipid-rich meat matrix blunts the postexercise increase of myofibrillar protein synthesis rates in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2025 Sep 7:S0002-9165(25)00517-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.09.001. Online ahead of print.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 40925524 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

23257

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id