Potato Protein Ingestion Increases Muscle Protein Synthesis Rates at Rest and during Recovery from Exercise in Humans

Abstract

Introduction: Plant-derived proteins have received considerable attention as an alternative to animal-based proteins and are now frequently used in both plant-based diets and sports nutrition products. However, little information is available on the anabolic properties of potato-derived protein. This study compares muscle protein synthesis rates after the ingestion of 30 g potato protein versus 30 g milk protein at rest and during recovery from a single bout of resistance exercise in healthy, young males. Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group design, 24 healthy young males (24 ± 4 yr) received primed continuous L-[ring-13 C 6 ]-phenylalanine infusions while ingesting 30 g potato-derived protein or 30 g milk protein after a single bout of unilateral resistance exercise. Blood and muscle biopsies were collected for 5 h after protein ingestion to assess postprandial plasma amino acid profiles and mixed muscle protein synthesis rates at rest and during recovery from exercise. Results: Ingestion of both potato and milk protein increased mixed muscle protein synthesis rates when compared with basal postabsorptive values (from 0.020% ± 0.011% to 0.053% ± 0.017%•h −1 and from 0.021% ± 0.014% to 0.050% ± 0.012%•h −1 , respectively; P < 0.001), with no differences between treatments (P = 0.54). In the exercised leg, mixed muscle protein synthesis rates increased to 0.069% ± 0.019% and 0.064% ± 0.015%•h −1 after ingesting potato and milk protein, respectively (P < 0.001), with no differences between treatments (P = 0.52). The muscle protein synthetic response was greater in the exercised compared with the resting leg (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Ingestion of 30 g potato protein concentrate increases muscle protein synthesis rates at rest and during recovery from exercise in healthy, young males. Muscle protein synthesis rates after the ingestion of 30 g potato protein do not differ from rates observed after ingesting an equivalent amount of milk protein.

Association of postprandial postexercise muscle protein synthesis rates with dietary leucine: A systematic review

“…Figure 1 shows the process of article selection with 38 studies ultimately included. Within these 38 studies, there were 77 study arms (i.e., total number of eligible intervention groups), to determine aspects relating to the leucine threshold hypothesis (Supplementary Information—https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.22203514, Agergaard et al, 2017; Areta et al, 2014; Atherton et al, 2017; Beals et al, 2018; Borack et al, 2016; Brook et al, 2021; Bukhari et al, 2015; Burd et al, 2010, 2015; Burd, Andrews, et al, 2012; Burd, Yang, et al, 2012; Chan et al, 2019; Churchward‐Venne, Breen, et al, 2014; Churchward‐Venne, Cotie, et al, 2014; Devries et al, 2018a, 2018b; Dickinson et al, 2014; Dideriksen et al, 2016; Dreyer et al, 2008; Fujita et al, 2009; Gwin et al, 2021; Hermans et al, 2021, 2022; Luiking et al, 2014; McGlory et al, 2016; McKendry et al, 2016; Mikkelsen et al, 2015; Monteyne, Coelho, Porter, Abdelrahman, Jameson, Finnigan, et al, 2020; Monteyne, Coelho, Porter, Abdelrahman, Jameson, Jackman, et al, 2020; Moore, Tang, et al, 2009; Oikawa et al, 2020; Pinckaers et al, 2022; Reidy et al, 2013; Reitelseder et al, 2019; Symons et al, 2011; Van Vliet et al, 2017; West et al, 2009; Wilkinson et al, 2018). Studies which met all the inclusion criteria except not taking a basal muscle biopsy (i.e., Dideriksen et al, 2011) were excluded in order to calculate delta change from basal MPS.…”

“…Bolus doses of orally administered isolated proteins comprised: whey (33 study arms), casein (three study arms), milk protein concentrate (10 study arms), crystalline essential amino acid mixtures (nine study arms), and isolated protein blends (four study arms). Other sources included protein‐rich foods: pork (two study arms; Beals et al, 2018), beef (three study arms; Burd et al, 2015; Symons et al, 2011), mycoprotein (two study arms; Monteyne, Coelho, Porter, Abdelrahman, Jameson, Finnigan, et al, 2020; Monteyne, Coelho, Porter, Abdelrahman, Jameson, Jackman, et al, 2020), protein‐rich meal replacements (four study arms; Atherton et al, 2017), cheese (Hermans et al, 2022), meal worms (Hermans et al, 2021), collagen protein, potato protein (Pinckaers et al, 2022), egg white (Van Vliet et al, 2017), and egg yolk (Van Vliet et al, 2017), all with one study arm each.…”

Improved Strength Recovery and Reduced Fatigue with Suppressed Plasma Myostatin Following Supplementation of a Vicia faba Hydrolysate, in a Healthy Male Population

“…Of key clinical interest was the finding that NPN_1 significantly outperformed MPC in FSR, indicating a possible benefit for anabolic pathways and a possible shorter recovery period. While plant proteins have been shown to increase FSR but only to the same level as milk [ 35 ], this is a highly significant finding for a plant protein source to outperform an animal one. The increase in FSR observed with NPN_1 is not observed with the raw unhydrolysed material, indicating that the effect is mediated by the AI-predicted bioactive peptides [ 36 ].…”

The role of dietary plant and animal protein intakes on mitigating sarcopenia risk

“…In healthy women and men receiving naso-ileal tube feedings, the digestibility and indispensable amino acid availability of pea protein extract was comparable to casein, with certain limitations for leucine, lysine, valine, and phenylalanine [ 11 ▪ ]. Similarly, 30 g milk protein ingestion resulted in quicker and overall greater increases in plasma leucine, lysine, methionine, and total amino acid concentrations over 5 h post ingestion, compared to ingesting 30 g potato-derived protein [ 12 ▪ ]. Further investigation of leucine bioavailability from plant proteins is warranted, given leucine's potential as an independent stimulator of muscle protein synthesis [ 6 ].…”

“…One such potential source of isolated plant proteins with comparable indispensable amino acid profiles is potato protein. Potato protein concentrate is derived from the residue created during potato starch extraction and is reported to have an amino acid profile similar to milk protein and sufficient to meet current WHO/FAO/UNU amino acid requirements [ 12 ▪ ]. In a study involving young men, ingesting 30 g potato protein stimulated muscle protein synthesis to a similar extent as ingesting 30 g milk protein over a 5 h recovery from resistance exercise.…”