The food matrix and its effect on human protein metabolism

Skeletal muscle plays a vital role in human health and disease prevention. Dietary protein is a main anabolic stimulus and thus essential for the maintenance of skeletal muscle mass. Most research on the effects of dietary protein on muscle protein turnover (synthesis and breakdown) have been investigated from a reductionist viewpoint utilizing isolated nutrients. Dietary recommendations to support muscle mass are based on these studies, which have been extrapolated to generalize to the diet in its entirety. While many early studies provided the framework for future directions, it is important to recognize that diets do not consist of isolated nutrients. Evidence suggests that the food matrix, a term to describe both the nutrient and non-nutrient components of whole foods, may play an important role in the regulation of muscle protein turnover. The studies reported in this dissertation investigated aspects of the food matrix as it relates to muscle protein turnover and health. In study 1, we showed that salmon ingestion is as potent for the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis rates as the sum of its isolated nutrients. In study 2, we demonstrated that an isolated food component, di-leucine, was more effective for the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis rates when compared to leucine. In study 3, we assessed the efficacy of the co-ingestion of a microbial protease blend with isolated pea protein and demonstrated greater plasma postprandial essential and total amino acid concentrations when compared to ingestion of pea protein alone. The studies contained in this dissertation investigated aspects of the food matrix including nutrient-nutrient interactions (salmon vs. isolated nutrients), isolated food components (dileucine) and manipulation of food structure (via a microbial protease supplement) in the regulation of human muscle protein turnover and underline the necessity of a more holistic view when it comes to dietary regulation of skeletal muscle mass.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Kinesiology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Paulussen, Kevin Johannes Maria

Contributors dc:contributor

• Burd, Nicholas A.
• Moore, Daniel R.
• Wilund, Kenneth R.
• Allen, Jacob M.

• Muscle
• Hypertrophy
• Protein Synthesis
• Protein Breakdown
• Whole Food
• Food Matrix
• Protein Oxidation
• Exercise
• Protein Quality
• Protease
• Dipeptide
• Dileucine
• Salmon
• Leucine
• mTORC1
• Plant Protein

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2022 Kevin Johannes Maria Paulussen

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/117877

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F117877