Protein pulse feeding improves protein retention in elderly women

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 69; no. 6; pp. 1202 - 1208
• Main Authors: Arnal, M.A, Mosoni, L, Boirie, Y, Houlier, M.L, Morin, L, Verdier, E, Ritz, P, Antoine, J.M, Prugnaud, J, Beaufrere, B
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD American Society for Clinical Nutrition 01.06.1999; American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Aged; Aging - metabolism; ammonia; Basal Metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Body Composition; Body Weight; Calorimetry, Indirect; Development. Metamorphosis. Moult. Ageing; dietary protein; Dietary Proteins - administration & dosage; Dietary Proteins - metabolism; elderly; Female; Food and Nutrition; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; glycine (amino acid); Humans; isotope labeling; Life Sciences; Metabolism; Nitrogen - metabolism; nitrogen balance; nutrient intake; Older people; protein metabolism; protein retention; protein turnover; Proteins; urea; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Women; Human; Senescence; Nitrogen balance; Diet; Female; Biosynthesis; Metabolism; Retention; Elderly; Protein; Feeding
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/69.6.1202

Background: Adequate protein nutrition could be used to limit gradual body protein loss and improve protein anabolism in the elderly. Objective: We tested the hypothesis that an uneven protein feeding pattern was more efficient in improving protein anabolism than was an even pattern. Design: After a controlled period, 15 elderly women (mean age: 68 y) were fed for 14 d either a pulse diet (n = 7), providing 80% of the daily protein intake at 1200, or a spread diet (n = 8), in which the same daily protein intake was spread over 4 meals. Both diets provided 1.7 g protein(.)kg fat-free mass (FFM)(-1)(.)d(-1). Protein accretion and daily protein turnover were determined by using the nitrogen balance method and the end product method (ammonia and urea) after an oral dose of [(15)N]glycine. Results: Nitrogen balance was more positive with the pulse than with the spread diet (54 +/- 7 compared with 27 +/- 6 mg N(.)kg FFM(-1)(.)d(-1); P < 0.05). Protein turnover rates were also higher with the pulse than with the spread diet (5.58 +/- 0.22 compared with 4.98 +/- 0.17 g protein(.)kg FFM(-1)(.)d(-1); P < 0.05), mainly because of higher protein synthesis in the pulse group (4.48 +/- 0.19 g protein(.)kg FFM(-1)(.)d(-1)) than in the spread group (3.75 +/- 0.19 g protein(.)kg FFM(-1)(.)d(-1)) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: A protein pulse-feeding pattern was more efficient than was a protein spread-feeding pattern in improving, after 14 d, whole-body protein retention in elderly women.