Spreading intake of a leucine-rich fast protein in energy-restricted overweight rats does not improve protein mass (original) (raw)

Objective: Energy restriction decreases fat mass and fat-free mass. Our aim was to prevent the latter using type and timing of protein nutrition as tools. Methods: Young male Wistar rats were given a high-energy diet for 5 wk and then energy restricted and fed a high-protein diet containing caseins, milk-soluble proteins (MSP), or a casein-MSP mixture (n ¼ 9 per group) as the only source of protein for 3 wk. Food intake was spread over 12 h, whereas in a previous experiment rats consumed their daily ration within 2 to 3 h. Weight and food intake were recorded. The body composition was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry before and after energy restriction. After 3 wk, the hind-limb muscles, the kidney, intestine, liver, and spleen weights, metabolic plasma parameters, and the liver and extensor digitorum longus muscle protein synthesis rates were measured in the postprandial state. Results: The food intake was similar in all groups. Energy restriction induced a significant decrease in body weight and fat mass (P < 0.001) and stopped the slow growth of lean body mass, with no differences between groups. Among all tissues, a significant effect was detected only for the intestine (P ¼ 0.0012), with a higher weight in the casein group. Postprandial liver and muscle protein synthesis rates were not different between groups. Conclusion: When using a high-protein diet spread over 12 h, the nature of the protein intake has no influence on the sparing of lean body mass during energy restriction in young overweight rats.

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