Native whey protein with high levels of leucine results in similar post-exercise muscular anabolic responses as regular whey protein: a randomized controlled trial

Figures & data

Table 1 Participant characteristics

Fig. 1 Participant flowchart

Fig. 2 Experimental design

Table 2 Amino acid and macronutrient content in supplements

Fig. 3 Blood concentrations of essential amino acids (a), branched chain amino acids (b) and leucine (c) following intake of milk, WPC-80 or native whey immediately and two hours after a bout of heavy leg resistance exercise. Arrows indicate time points of protein supplement ingestion. Values are mean ± SD (only shown for highest and lowest values). n = 12 in the milk group and 10 in the WPC-80 and native whey group. Black symbols are significantly different from resting values. # native whey greater than milk at the same time point; $ WPC-80 greater than milk at the corresponding time point; & native whey greater than WPC-80 at the corresponding point, p < 0.05

Fig. 4 Blood concentrations of glucose (a), insulin (b), urea (c) and creatine kinase (d) following intake of 20 g milk protein, WPC-80 or native whey immediately after a bout of heavy leg resistance exercise. Arrows indicates time point of protein supplement ingestion. Values are mean ± SD (only shown for highest and lowest values). n = 12 in the milk group and 10 in the WPC-80 and native whey group. Black symbols are significantly different from resting values. # native whey greater than milk at the same time point; & native whey greater than WPC-80 at the same time point, p < 0.05

Fig. 5 Ratio between phosphorylated and total p70S6K (a), 4E–BP1 (b) and eEF-2 (c) following intake of milk, WPC-80 or native whey immediately and two hours after a bout of heavy leg resistance exercise. Values are mean ± SD. n = 12 in the milk group and 10 in the WPC-80 and native whey group. * Different from resting values. # different from milk at the corresponding time point, p < 0.05

Fig. 6 Mixed muscle FSR values following intake of milk, WPC-80 or native whey immediately and two hours after a bout of heavy leg resistance exercise. Values are mean ± SD. n = 10 in the milk group and 10 in the WPC-80 and native whey groups. # Different from milk over the corresponding time period, p < 0.05

Fig. 7 Isometric knee extensor force-generating capacity relative to resting values following intake of milk, WPC-80 or native whey immediately and two hours after a bout of heavy leg resistance exercise. Values are mean ± SD. Black symbols are significantly different from baseline, p < 0.05