Abstract
Dietary protein is critical for the maintenance of musculoskeletal health, where appropriate intake (i.e., source, dose, timing) can mitigate declines in muscle and bone mass and/or function. Animal-derived protein is a potent anabolic source due to rapid digestion and absorption kinetics stimulating robust increases in muscle protein synthesis and promoting bone accretion and maintenance. However, global concerns surrounding environmental sustainability has led to an increasing interest in plant- and collagen-derived protein as alternative or adjunct dietary sources. This is despite the lower anabolic profile of plant and collagen protein due to the inferior essential amino acid profile (e.g., lower leucine content) and subordinate digestibility (versus animal). This review evaluates the efficacy of animal-, plant- and collagen-derived proteins in isolation, and as protein blends, for augmenting muscle and bone metabolism and health in the context of ageing, exercise and energy restriction.
Highlights
Reflecting this shift, while the majority of prior research investigations have focused upon characterising the effects of animal-derived proteins in relation to musculoskeletal metabolism and health, there has been a recent surge of studies investigating the influence of plant-derived (e.g., References [4,23–25]), collagen-derived (e.g., References [26–29]) and blended (e.g., References [30–32]) protein sources
An increased appreciation of the role of protein sources in relationIntoconclusion, the musculoskeletal under and deleterious ageing, an increasedsystem appreciation of beneficial the role of protein sources (including protein(e.g., blends) perturbations is crucial to informing appropriate nutritional support in the face of in relation to the musculoskeletal system under beneficial and deleterious perturbations is crucial to informing appropriate nutritional support in the faceproteins of complex challenges, such as changes in appetite and/or socio-economic trends
Collagen-derived proteins represent nitrogen-dense sources that have shown some efficacy in relation to favourable body composition relatively nitrogen-dense sources that have shown some efficacy in relation to favourable body changes
Summary
In the simplest form, dietary protein can modulate muscle and bone health via the regulation of muscle protein turnover [4,11] and bone matrix turnover and remodelling [12,13], respectively. The global maintenance of skeletal muscle mass is governed by the dynamic equilibrium between muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein breakdown (MPB), where a positive net muscle protein balance (i.e., MPS exceeds MPB) results in muscle growth and a negative net muscle protein balance (i.e., MPB exceeds MPS) results in muscle loss [11]. MPB, which is entirely attributable to insulin, contributing to a positive net protein balance [14]. The cross-linking of collagen molecules involves the post-translation modification of AA, therein requiring dietary-derived AA since many of the collagen fragments released during breakdown cannot be re-utilised for bone matrix formation [15]. Dietary protein can increase urinary calcium excretion, therein possibly increasing the risk of fractures or osteoporosis, which has led to some controversy surrounding the efficacy of dietary protein for bone health [15]
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