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Physiology

Protein synthesis signaling in skeletal muscle is refractory to whey protein ingestion during a severe energy deficit evoked by prolonged exercise and caloric restriction

International Journal of Obesity volume 43, pages 872–882 (2019)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background

Exercise and protein ingestion preserve muscle mass during moderate energy deficits.

Objective

To determine the molecular mechanisms by which exercise and protein ingestion may spare muscle mass during severe energy deficit (5500 kcal/day).

Design

Fifteen overweight, but otherwise healthy men, underwent a pre-test (PRE), caloric restriction (3.2 kcals/kg body weight/day) + exercise (45 min one-arm cranking + 8 h walking) for 4 days (CRE), followed by a control diet (CD) for 3 days, with a caloric content similar to pre-intervention while exercise was reduced to less than 10,000 steps per day. During CRE, participants ingested either whey protein (PRO, n = 8) or sucrose (SU, n = 7) (0.8 g/kg body weight/day). Muscle biopsies were obtained from the trained and untrained deltoid, and vastus lateralis.

Results

Following CRE and CD, serum concentrations of leptin, insulin, and testosterone were reduced, whereas cortisol and the catabolic index (cortisol/total testosterone) increased. The Akt/mTor/p70S6K pathway and total eIF2α were unchanged, while total 4E-BP1 and Thr37/464E-BP1 were higher. After CRE, plasma BCAA and EAA were elevated, with a greater response in PRO group, and total GSK3β, pSer9GSK3β, pSer51eIF2α, and pSer51eIF2α/total eIF2α were reduced, with a greater response of pSer9GSK3β in the PRO group. The changes in signaling were associated with the changes in leptin, insulin, amino acids, cortisol, cortisol/total testosterone, and lean mass.

Conclusions

During severe energy deficit, pSer9GSK3β levels are reduced and human skeletal muscle becomes refractory to the anabolic effects of whey protein ingestion, regardless of contractile activity. These effects are associated with the changes in lean mass and serum insulin, testosterone, and cortisol concentrations.

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Acknowledgements

We offer special thanks to José Navarro de Tuero for his excellent technical assistance and to Tobias Lopez Jessen for his help editing the English version of the manuscript.

Funding

This study was financed by grants from the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (PI14/01509 and FEDER), ULPGC: ULPAPD-08/01-4, and Östersund municipality.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Education, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus Universitario de Tafira s/n, 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

    Marcos Martin-Rincon, Ismael Perez-Suarez, Jesús Gustavo Ponce-González, David Morales-Alamo & Jose A. L. Calbet

  2. Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain

    Marcos Martin-Rincon, Ismael Perez-Suarez, David Morales-Alamo, Pedro de Pablos-Velasco & Jose A. L. Calbet

  3. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain

    Alberto Pérez-López

  4. Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Doctor Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

    Pedro de Pablos-Velasco

  5. Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden

    Hans-Christer Holmberg

Authors
  1. Marcos Martin-Rincon
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Correspondence to Jose A. L. Calbet.

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Martin-Rincon, M., Perez-Suarez, I., Pérez-López, A. et al. Protein synthesis signaling in skeletal muscle is refractory to whey protein ingestion during a severe energy deficit evoked by prolonged exercise and caloric restriction. Int J Obes 43, 872–882 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-018-0174-2

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