Pre-sleep Protein Supplementation and Load Carriage Recovery in British Army Recruits

Muscle Soreness Clinical Trial

Official title:

Pre-sleep Protein Supplementation Does Not Improve Recovery From Load Carriage in British Army Recruits

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05998603
• Other study ID #: 1076/MODREC/20B
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: May 1, 2021
• Est. completion date: May 31, 2022

Study information

• Verified date: February 2024
• Source: Anglia Ruskin University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Load carriage is a common military activity and has been shown to induce acute exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) and impair muscle function. Protein supplementation can accelerate muscle recovery by attenuating EIMD and muscle function loss. This study investigated the impact of an additional daily bolus of protein prior to sleep throughout training on acute muscle recovery following a load carriage test in British Army recruits. Muscle function (maximal jump height), perceived muscle soreness and urinary markers of muscle damage were assessed before (PRE), immediately post (POST), 24-hours post (24h-POST) and 40-hours post (40h-POST) a load carriage test.

Description:

British Army basic training (BT) is physically demanding with new recruits completing multiple bouts of physical activity each day with limited recovery. Load carriage is one of the most physically demanding BT activities and has been shown to induce acute exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) and impair muscle function. Protein supplementation can accelerate muscle recovery by attenuating EIMD and muscle function loss. This study investigated the impact of an additional daily bolus of protein prior to sleep throughout training on acute muscle recovery following a load carriage test in United Kingdom (UK) British Army recruits. A mixed group (men/women) over over 120 new recruits were randomised to dietary control (CON), carbohydrate placebo (PLA), moderate (20g; MOD) or high (60g; HIGH) protein supplementation. Muscle function (maximal jump height), perceived muscle soreness and urinary markers of muscle damage were assessed before (PRE), immediately post (POST), 24-hours post (24h-POST) and 40-hours post (40h-POST) a load carriage test. The underlying aim of this study was to assess whether additional protein intake could attenuate aspects of muscle damage from an acute load carriage test including muscle function, muscle soreness and biomarkers of muscle damage during short term recovery.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 122
• Est. completion date: May 31, 2022
• Est. primary completion date: May 31, 2022
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 35 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Enrolled into British Army basic training

• Medically fit to train and complete the load carriage test

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not taking any other nutritional supplement

• Pregnant

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Muscle Soreness
• Myalgia
• Protein-energy; Imbalance

Intervention

Dietary Supplement:
• High protein intake
The participants received a 60g whey protein bolus each evening prior to sleep pre and post a military load carriage test.
• Moderate protein intake
The participants received a 20g whey protein bolus each evening prior to sleep pre and post a military load carriage test.
• Carbohydrate maltodextrin placebo
The participants received an isocaloric carbohydrate bolus each evening prior to sleep pre and post a military load carriage test.

Other:
• Control no supplementation
Control group, no supplementation, only basic training

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United Kingdom	Anglia Ruskin University	Cambridge	Cambridgeshire

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Anglia Ruskin University	University of Exeter

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United Kingdom, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change in lower body muscle function	The change in maximal vertical jump height in participants before and after the load carriage test	40-hours
Secondary	The change in urinary myoglobin	The relative change in concentration of urinary myoglobin (ng/ml) in participants before and after the load carriage test	40-hours
Secondary	The change in urinary 3-methylhistidine	The relative change in concentration of urinary 3-methylhistidine (nmol/ml) in participants before and after the load carriage test	40-hours
Secondary	The change in perceived muscle soreness	The relative change in perceived muscle soreness assessed via visual analogue scale. The participants were asked to record their perceived muscle soreness using a 0-10 Likert scale (e.g., 0=no pain, 10=severe pain that limits the ability to move).	40-hours