Matthew Lees

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Verified

Matthew verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

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• PhD
• Postdoctoral Fellow at McMaster University

Understanding the turnover of proteins in tissues gives information as to how external stimuli result in phenotypic change. Nowhere is such phenotypic change more conspicuous than skeletal muscle, which can be effectively remodelled by increased loading, ageing and unloading (disuse), all of which are subject to modification by nutrition and other...

Marine-derived proteins, such as blue whiting-derived protein hydrolysates (BWPH), represent high-quality sources of dietary protein, but their ability to support postexercise anabolism is not established. The impact of BWPH on whole-body anabolism was compared with an isonitrogenous whey protein isolate (WPI) and nonessential amino acid (NEAA) con...

The intensive care unit (ICU) environment is one of the most challenging for skeletal muscle health. The atrophy associated with clinical care is distinct from that seen with inactivity or immobilization in the absence of disease and is exacerbated by aging. The substantial muscle loss in the ICU is likely due to the presence of inflammation, eleva...

The activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), a master regulator of protein synthesis, by anabolic stimuli (such as muscle contraction or essential amino acids) involves its translocation to the cell periphery. Leucine is generally considered the most anabolic of amino acids for its ability to independently modulate musc...

Skeletal muscle anabolism is driven by numerous stimuli such as growth factors, nutrients (i.e., amino acids, glucose), and mechanical stress. These stimuli are integrated by the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 1 (mTORC1) signal transduction cascade. In recent years, work from our laboratory and elsewhere has sought to unravel the mo...

Purpose:This study examined the magnitude of physiological strain imposed by repeated maximal static and dynamic apneas through assessing a panel of stress- related biomarkers. Methods:Eleven healthy men performed on three separate occasions (≥72-h apart): a series of five repeated maximal (i) static (STA) or (ii) dynamic apneas (DYN) or (iii) a st...

Key Clinical Message In MS patients, especially those frail or malnourished, combining home‐based exercise twice weekly with essential amino acids and vitamin D may improve body composition, strength, and physical performance, enabling long‐term functional improvements. Abstract Multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with reduced bone and muscle st...

A Case Study on the Impact of Exercise and Essential Amino Acid Supplementation on Physical Fitness and Body Composition

Skeletal muscle repair and maintenance are directly and indirectly supported by stromal populations such as vascular cells and fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs), a subset of which express Twist2 and possess direct myogenic potential in rodents. However, less is understood of the complexity and heterogeneity of human skeletal muscle stromal cells....

Leucine is a critical amino acid stimulating myofibrillar protein synthesis (MyoPS). The consumption of higher leucine-containing drinks stimulates MyoPS, but we know less about higher leucine solid foods. Here, we examined the effect of short-term resistance exercise training (STRT) combined with supplementation of a protein and leucine-enriched b...

Although athletes from sports such as rugby have greater lean mass and strength during their playing careers, little is known about these characteristics post-retirement. Therefore, this study investigated lean mass, strength, and muscle quality in retired elite and amateur rugby players and non-contact athletes. Retired elite male rugby players (n...

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged as the causative agent of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has spread worldwide, resulting in over 6 million deaths as of March 2022. Older people have been disproportionately affected by the disease, as they have greater risk of hospitalizat...

Objective: The age-associated loss of muscle mass and strength, otherwise known as sarcopenia, represents a major health challenge. We investigated the impact of previous participation in rugby codes by assessing differences in lean mass, body fat percentage, muscle strength and quality in retired rugby players and retired noncontact athletes and n...

Objective: Regular participation in weight-bearing sports is osteogenic. However, it is not clear if the benefits are sustained after cessation of sport or if current exercise levels in later life are more influential. This study investigated differences in BMD and its association with past and current levels of physical activity in retired rugby p...

The influx of essential amino acids into skeletal muscle is primarily mediated by the large neutral amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1), which is dependent on the glutamine gradient generated by the sodium-dependent neutral amino acid transporter 2 (SNAT2). The protein expression and membrane localization of LAT1 may be influenced by amino acid ingesti...

Purpose-This study sought to explore, for the first time, the effects of repeated maximal static and dynamic apnoeic attempts on the physiological milieu by assessing cerebral, cardiac and striatal muscle stress-related biomarkers in a group of elite breath-hold divers (EBHD). Methods-Sixteen healthy males were recruited (EBHD=8; controls=8). On t...

Purpose of review: The practice of time-restricted feeding (TRF) has received fervent interest in recent years as a strategy to mitigate obesity and metabolic disease. We sought to review the implications of TRF for skeletal muscle health and function in aging. Recent findings: TRF has high adherence and can promote body weight loss in older pop...

Breath-hold diving is an activity that humans have engaged in since antiquity to forage for resources, provide sustenance and to support military campaigns. In modern times, breath-hold diving continues to gain popularity and recognition as both a competitive and recreational sport. The continued progression of world records is somewhat remarkable,...

Background Limited data are available examining dietaries for optimizing protein and leucine intake to stimulate muscle protein synthesis in older humans. Objectives We aimed to investigate the aminoacidemia and appetite responses of older adults after consuming breakfast, a meal frequently consumed with high-carbohydrate and below-par amounts of...

Fish-derived proteins, particularly fish protein hydrolysates (FPH), offer potential as high-quality sources of dietary protein, whilst enhancing economic and environmental sustainability. This study investigated the impact of a blue whiting-derived protein hydrolysate (BWPH) on ami-noacidaemia in vivo and skeletal muscle anabolism in vitro compare...

The primary aim of this narrative review is to evaluate the efficacy of essential amino acid (EAA) supplementation as a strategy to increase dietary protein intake and improve muscle mass, strength and function in older adults. A sufficient daily protein intake is widely recognised to be fundamental for the successful management of sarcopenia in ol...

Fish protein represents one of the most widely consumed dietary protein sources by humans. The processing of material from the fishing industry generates substantial unexploited waste products, many of which possess high biological value. Protein hydrolysates, such as fish protein hydrolysates (FPH), containing predominantly di- and tripeptides, ar...

We investigated the effects of ingesting a leucine-enriched essential amino acid (EAA) gel alone or combined with resistance exercise (RE) versus RE alone (control) on plasma aminoacidemia and intramyocellular anabolic signaling in healthy younger (28 ± 4 years) and older (71 ± 3 years) adults. Blood samples were obtained throughout the three trial...

Purpose - The aim of the study was to provide an evaluation of the oxygen transport, exchange and storage capacity of elite breath-hold divers (EBHD) compared with non-divers (ND). Methods - Twenty-one healthy males’ (11 EBHD; 10 ND) resting splenic volumes were assessed by ultrasound and venous blood drawn for full blood count analysis. Percutane...

Purpose This pilot study investigated differences in lean tissue mass, muscle strength, muscle quality (strength per unit of muscle mass; MQ), and functional performance in healthy younger and older individuals. The most robust predictors of appendicular lean mass (ALM) were then determined in each group. Methods Fifty younger (18–45 years) and 50...

Deficiencies in protein and energy intakes are partly responsible for age-related sarcopenia. We investigated the effects of supplements matched in essential amino acid (EAA) content (7.5 g) on energy intake and appetite. Ten women aged 69.2 ± 2.7 years completed 3 trials in a randomised, crossover design. Composite appetite scores, peptide-YY (PYY...

Background: Sarcopenia is characterised by losses in muscle mass, strength and function. It is a contributing factor to numerous non-communicable diseases and frailty. Screening for sarcopenia typically requires measurements of handgrip strength, functional performance, and skeletal muscle mass. However, available tools do not tend to measure stren...

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is a medical imaging device which has become the method of choice for the measurement of body composition in athletes. The objectives of this review were to evaluate published longitudinal DXA body composition studies in athletic populations for interpretation of 'meaningful' change, and to propose a best prac...

Abstract Background Inadequate protein intake (PI), containing a sub-optimal source of essential amino acids (EAAs), and reduced appetite are contributing factors to age-related sarcopenia. The satiating effects of dietary protein per se may negatively affect energy intake (EI), thus there is a need to explore alternative strategies to facilitate P...

The skeleton of a cricket fast bowler is exposed to a unique combination of gravitational and torsional loading in the form of substantial ground reaction forces delivered through the front landing foot, and anterior-posterior shear forces mediated by regional muscle contractions across the lumbo-pelvic region. The objectives of this study were to...

This study investigated the change in body composition and bone mineral content (BMC) of senior rugby league (RL) players between 2008 and 2014. Twelve male professional RL players (age, 24.6 ± 4.0 years; stature, 183.4 ± 8.4 cm) received a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan during preseason in 2008 and 2014. Between 2008 and 2014, very likely i...

Identifying and understanding changes in the body composition of rugby players during the competitive season is important from both performance and health perspectives. We investigated three-compartment body composition across one competitive season in professional male rugby union players using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Thirty-five p...

Rationale: Inadequate protein intake (PI), the main source of essential amino acids (EAAs), and reduced appetite are contributing factors to age-related sarcopenia. The satiating effects of dietary protein may negatively affect energy intake (EI), thus there is a need to explore alternative strategies to facilitate PI without compromising appetite...

The skeleton of an elite cricket fast bowler is exposed to substantial ground reaction forces that are delivered through the front foot during the contact phase. There is also significant loading to the lumbo-pelvic region, through peak transverse plane rotation moments and increased anterior posterior shear forces. Non-contact bone injuries are co...

Introduction: Cricket fast bowlers are at a higher risk of serious lumbar injuries compared to players of other positions and it is thought that loading to this region plays a part. Fast bowling exposes the lumbar spine to substantial bending, flexion and rotational forces as well as attenuated force transmission through the lower limb at front foo...

Identifying and understanding changes in the body composition of rugby players during the competitive season is important from both performance and health perspectives. We investigated three-compartment body composition across one competitive season in professional male rugby union players using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Thirty-five p...

The purpose of this study was to investigate longitudinal body composition of professional rugby union players over one competitive season. Given the potential for variability in changes, and as the first to do so, we conducted individual analysis in addition to analysis of group means. Thirty-five professional rugby union players from one English...

This study compared the body size and three compartment body composition between academy and senior professional rugby league players using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Academy (age 18.1±1.1 years; n=34) and senior (age 26.2 ±4.6 years; n=63) rugby league players received one total-body DXA scan. Height, body mass and body fat percentage...

Super League and Championship rugby league players will compete against each other in 2015 and beyond. To identify possible discrepancies, this study compared the anthropometric profile and body composition of current Super League (SL; full-time professional) and Championship (RLC; part-time semi-professional) players using dual-energy X-ray absorp...

There have been few reports of advanced body composition profiles of elite fast bowlers in the sport of cricket. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to determine total, regional and unilateral body composition characteristics of elite English first-class cricket fast bowlers in comparison with matched controls, using dual-energy X-ray absor...

Body composition analysis using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is becoming increasingly popular in both clinical and sports science settings. Obesity, characterized by high fat mass (FM), is associated with larger precision errors; however, precision error for athletic groups with high levels of lean mass (LM) are unclear. Total (TB) and re...

The assessment of body size and body composition is essential when evaluating and monitoring the development of Academy rugby league (RL) players. To date, no study has explored relative three compartment body composition in Academy players compared to professional Super League (SL) players. The purpose of this study was to compare body size and re...

Body composition analysis is regularly conducted in professional rugby union (RU) players to monitor changes in body mass (BM), fat mass (FM), lean mass (LM), percentage body fat (%BF) and bone mineral content (BMC). It would be desirable for RU players to maintain LM for the duration of the season, due to the high levels of muscular power and stre...

Sports drinks composed of carbohydrate and electrolytes have been shown to improve performance in both high-intensity exercise and endurance activity. However, there is a paucity of research concerning the effects of a sports drink on cricket bowling performance. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the effects of a sports drink a...