Tyler A Churchward-Venne

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Professor (Associate) at McGill University

There is growing interest in alternative protein sources to reduce the intake of animal foods, although the quality of non-animal-based proteins has been questioned. In a double-blind, crossover, randomised and counter-balanced trial, we investigated the anabolic potential of a microflora (bacterial) protein designed to mimic ‘high-quality’ whey pr...

The addition of low-dose protein to low protein-containing meals in middle-to-older aged adults may promote greater postprandial plasma aminoacidemia and mitigate declines in muscle health but may be dependent on the source and quality of protein consumed. This single-blind randomised study investigated postprandial plasma aminoacidemia and appetit...

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant. The purported physiological and psychological effects of CBD may benefit athletes’ ability to train and recover. Cannabis, cannabis products, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and synthetic cannabinoids mimicking the effects of THC have been banned by the World Anti-Doping Ag...

High-load resistance exercise (>60% of 1-repetition maximum) is a well-known stimulus to enhance skeletal muscle hypertrophy with chronic training. However, studies have intriguingly shown that low-load resistance exercise training (RET) (≤60% of 1-repetition maximum) can lead to similar increases in skeletal muscle hypertrophy as compared to high-...

Plant-derived proteins are often deficient in essential amino acids and have lower rates of digestibility than animal-derived proteins. Blending different plant-derived proteins could compensate for these deficiencies and may augment postprandial aminoacidemia over single-source plant proteins. This study assessed plasma amino acids and appetite ho...

Muscle disuse induces a decline in muscle strength that exceeds the rate and magnitude of muscle atrophy, suggesting that factors beyond the muscle contribute to strength loss. The purpose of this study was to characterize changes in the brain and neuromuscular system in addition to muscle size following upper limb immobilization in young females....

We recently demonstrated that acute oral ketone monoester intake induces a stimulation of postprandial myofibrillar protein synthesis rates comparable to that elicited following the ingestion of 10 g whey protein or their co-ingestion. The present investigation aimed to determine the acute effects of ingesting a ketone monoester, whey protein, or t...

Background Ketone bodies may have anabolic effects in skeletal muscle via their capacity to stimulate protein synthesis. Whether orally ingested exogenous ketones can stimulate postprandial myofibrillar protein synthesis (MyoPS) rates with and without dietary protein co-ingestion is unknown. Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the effects of k...

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA: leucine, isoleucine, and valine) are three of the nine indispensable amino acids, and are frequently consumed as a dietary supplement by athletes and recreationally active individuals alike. The popularity of BCAA supplements is largely predicated on the notion that they can stimulate rates of muscle protein synthe...

The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine if there are sex-based differences in adaptations to resistance exercise training in healthy older adults. Following the screening process, data from 36 studies comparing older males and females (602 males; 703 females; ≥60 years of age) for changes in skeletal muscle size,...

Background/Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the acute effects of ingesting beef- and insect-derived protein on postprandial plasma amino acid and appetite hormone concentrations, appetite sensations, and ad libitum energy intake. Subjects/Methods In a randomized, double-blind, crossover study, 20 young men (23 (SD: 4) y) comple...

Background Engaging in both resistance and endurance exercise within the same training program, termed ‘concurrent exercise training,’ is common practice in many athletic disciplines that require a combination of strength and endurance and is recommended by a number of organizations to improve muscular and cardiovascular health and reduce the risk...

Background: Insects have recently been identified as a more sustainable protein-dense food source and may represent a viable alternative to conventional animal-derived proteins. Objectives: We aimed to compare the impacts of ingesting lesser mealworm- and milk-derived protein on protein digestion and amino acid absorption kinetics, postprandial...

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a ketone monoester supplement on indices of muscle damage during recovery after eccentric exercise. Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, independent group design, 20 moderately active healthy young adults consumed 360 mg per kg⁻¹ bodyweight of a ketone monoester (KET) or energy-ma...

Background: Protein ingestion increases skeletal muscle protein synthesis rates during recovery from endurance exercise. Objectives: We aimed to determine the effect of graded doses of dietary protein co-ingested with carbohydrate on whole-body protein metabolism, and skeletal muscle myofibrillar (MyoPS) and mitochondrial (MitoPS) protein synthe...

Background: Dietary protein ingestion stimulates muscle protein synthesis by providing amino acids to the muscle. The magnitude and duration of the postprandial increase in muscle protein synthesis rates are largely determined by dietary protein digestion and amino acid absorption kinetics. Objective: We assessed the impact of protein type, prot...

Key points Protein ingestion and cooling are strategies employed by athletes to improve postexercise recovery and, as such, to facilitate muscle conditioning. However, whether cooling affects postprandial protein handling and subsequent muscle protein synthesis rates during recovery from exercise has not been assessed. We investigated the effect of...

The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of consuming isocaloric, protein-rich breakfast beverages containing either cricket or beef protein on appetite, satiety and subsequent lunch food intake in healthy young men. In a randomized, within-subject crossover study, twenty young men (age: 24 ± 1 y; BMI: 23.0 ± 0.6 kg/m2 [means ± SE...

Key points Blood flow restricted resistance exercise (BFR‐RE) is capable of inducing comparable adaptations to traditional resistance exercise (RE), despite a lower total exercise volume. It has been suggested that an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production may be involved in this response; however, oxygen partial pressure (PO2) is red...

High‐circulating lipid availability attenuates protein feeding–induced muscle protein synthesis (MPS). Whether the combined effects of exercise and protein ingestion can rescue this inhibition is unknown. In a parallel‐groups design, middle‐aged sedentary males (n = 28) matched for fat‐free mass and body mass index received a 5‐h intravenous infusi...

Background: Protein ingestion during recovery from resistance-type exercise increases postexercise muscle protein synthesis rates. Whey protein has been reported to have greater anabolic properties than soy protein, an effect which may be attributed to the higher leucine content of whey. Objective: The objective of this study was to compare post...

Background: Whey and micellar casein are high-quality dairy proteins that can stimulate postprandial muscle protein synthesis rates. How whey and casein compare with milk protein in their capacity to stimulate postprandial myofibrillar (MyoPS) and mitochondrial (MitoPS) protein synthesis rates during postexercise recovery is currently unknown. Ob...

Key points: Strategies to enhance the loss of fat while preserving muscle mass during energy restriction are of great importance to prevent sarcopenia in overweight older adults. We show for the first time that the integrated rate of synthesis of numerous individual contractile, cytosolic and mitochondrial skeletal muscle proteins was increased by...

Consumption of sufficient dietary protein is fundamental to muscle mass maintenance and overall health. Conventional animal-based protein sources such as meat (ie, beef, pork, lamb), poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy are generally considered high-quality sources of dietary protein because they meet all of the indispensable amino-acid requirements for...

Background Age‐related sarcopenia is accelerated by physical inactivity. Low‐load resistance exercise (LLRE) counters inactivity‐induced muscle atrophy in older adults, but changes in muscle fibre morphology are unstudied. We aimed to determine the impact of LLRE during short‐term inactivity (step‐reduction) on muscle fibre size and capillarity as...

Elite athletes and coaches are in a constant search for training methods and nutritional strategies to support training and recovery efforts that may ultimately maximize athletes' performance. Recently, there has been a re-emerging interest in the role of ketone bodies in exercise metabolism, with considerable media speculation about ketone body su...

Introduction: The age-related anabolic resistance to protein ingestion is suggested to be associated with impairments in insulin-mediated capillary recruitment and postprandial muscle tissue perfusion. The present study investigated whether dietary nitrate co-ingestion with protein improves myofibrillar protein synthesis in older, type 2 diabetes...

Hyperaminoacidemia following protein ingestion enhances the anabolic effect of resistance-type exercise by increasing the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis and attenuating the exercise-mediated increase in muscle protein breakdown rates. Although factors such as the source of protein ingested and the timing of intake relative to exercise can...

The slow digestion and amino acid absorption kinetics of isolated micellar casein have been held responsible for its relatively lower postprandial muscle protein synthetic response compared with rapidly digested proteins such as isolated whey. However, casein is normally consumed within a milk matrix. We hypothesized that protein digestion and abso...

Strategies to enhance weight loss with a high fat-to-lean ratio in overweight/obese older adults are important since lean loss could exacerbate sarcopenia. We examined how dietary protein distribution affected muscle protein synthesis during: energy balance (EB); energy restriction (ER); and ER plus resistance training (ER+RT). A 4-wk ER diet was p...

To assess the proposed prevalence of unresponsiveness of older men and women to augment lean body mass, muscle fiber size, muscle strength, and/or physical function following prolonged resistance-type exercise training. A retrospective analysis of the adaptive response to 12 (n = 110) and 24 (n = 85) weeks of supervised resistance-type exercise tra...

Higher dietary energy as protein during weight loss results in a greater loss of fat mass and retention of muscle mass; however, the impact of protein quality on the rates of myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS) and lipolysis, processes that are important in the maintenance of muscle and loss of fat, respectively, are unknown. We aimed to determine...

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Background. Adequate protein ingestion-mediated stimulation of myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS) is required to maintain skeletal muscle mass. It is currently unknown what per meal protein intake is required to maximally stimulate the response in older men and whether it differs from that of younger men. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed data...

Ageing is associated with anabolic resistance; a reduced sensitivity of myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS) to postprandial hyperaminoacidemia, particularly with low protein doses. Impairments in postprandial skeletal muscle blood flow and/or microvascular perfusion with hyperaminoacidemia and hyperinsulinemia may contribute to anabolic resistance...

Aerobic exercise is typically associated with expansion of the mitochondrial protein pool and improvements in muscle oxidative capacity. The impact of aerobic exercise intensity on the synthesis of specific skeletal muscle protein sub-fractions is not known. We aimed to study the effect of aerobic exercise intensity on rates of myofibrillar (MyoPS)...

Aging is associated with a reduction in skeletal muscle mass-sarcopenia-the etiology of which is multifactorial. One mechanism is that aging has, as one of its hallmarks, a reduced sensitivity of skeletal muscle to the normally potent anabolic effects of protein feeding and resistance exercise, and to the anticatabolic effects of insulin, the combi...

Muscle hypertrophy following resistance training (RT) involves activation of myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS) to expand the myofibrillar protein pool. The degree of hypertrophy following RT is, however, highly variable and thus we sought to determine the relationship between the acute activation of MPS and RT-induced hypertrophy. We measured MP...

Leucine is a key amino acid involved in the regulation of skeletal muscle protein synthesis. We assessed the effect of the supplementation of a lower-protein mixed macronutrient beverage with varying doses of leucine or a mixture of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) on myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS) at rest and after exercise. In a parallel...

To determine relationships between post-exercise changes in systemic [testosterone, growth hormone (GH), insulin like grow factor 1 (IGF-1) and interleukin 6 (IL-6)], or intramuscular [skeletal muscle androgen receptor (AR) protein content and p70S6K phosphorylation status] factors in a moderately-sized cohort of young men exhibiting divergent resi...

Amino acids are major nutrient regulators of muscle protein turnover. After protein ingestion, hyperaminoacidemia stimulates increased rates of skeletal muscle protein synthesis, suppresses muscle protein breakdown, and promotes net muscle protein accretion for several hours. These acute observations form the basis for strategized protein intake to...

Background: Alterations in muscle protein metabolism underlie age-related muscle atrophy. During periods of muscle disuse, muscle protein synthesis is blunted, and muscle atrophy occurs in young and old. The impact of a short reduction in physical activity on muscle protein metabolism in older adults is unknown. Purpose: The aim of this study wa...

Key points The branched‐chain amino acid (BCAA) leucine acts as both a ‘trigger’ for the initiation of protein synthesis, and as a substrate for newly synthesized protein. As a BCAA, leucine can be metabolized within skeletal muscle, leaving open the possibility that leucine metabolites might possess anabolic properties. One metabolite in particula...

Does resistance exercise order affect hormone availability? Participants performed arm exercise before and after leg exercise. Hormone delivery was estimated by multiplying brachial artery blood flow and hormone concentrations. Blood flow increased after arm (276%) and leg (193%; both p < 0.001) exercise. Testosterone, growth hormone, and insulin-l...

Increased amino acid availability stimulates muscle protein synthesis, however, aged muscle appears less responsive to the anabolic effects of amino acids when compared to the young. We aimed to compare changes in myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS) in elderly men at rest and after resistance exercise following ingestion of different doses of soy...

Table S2. Amino acid profiles of the whey (W20, W40) and soy (S20, S40) protein drinks .

Table S1. Participants’ dietary intake. (PDF 129 kb)

Provision of dietary amino acids increases skeletal muscle protein synthesis (MPS), an effect that is enhanced by prior resistance exercise. As a fundamentally necessary process in the enhancement of muscle mass, strategies to enhance rates of MPS would be beneficial in the development of interventions aimed at increasing skeletal muscle mass parti...

It is often recommended that heavier training intensities (∼70%–80% of maximal strength) be lifted to maximize muscle growth. However, we have reported that intensities as low as 30% of maximum strength, when lifted to volitional fatigue, are equally effective at stimulating muscle protein synthesis rates during resistance exercise recovery. This p...

We have reported that the acute postexercise increases in muscle protein synthesis rates, with differing nutritional support, are predictive of longer-term training-induced muscle hypertrophy. Here, we aimed to test whether the same was true with acute exercise-mediated changes in muscle protein synthesis. Eighteen men (21 ± 1 yr, 22.6 ± 2.1 kg/m(2...

Key points Essential amino acids (EAAs) stimulate increased rates of myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS). Leucine is a key regulator of MPS in rodents; however, its importance relative to the other EAAs is not clear. About 20 g of protein maximally stimulates MPS after resistance exercise in young men, but we do not know if smaller doses can be ma...

We made sex-based comparisons of rates of myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS) and anabolic signaling after a single bout of high-intensity resistance exercise. Eight men (20 ± 10 yr, BMI = 24.3 ± 2.4) and eight women (22 ± 1.8 yr, BMI = 23.0 ± 1.9) underwent primed constant infusions of l-[ring-(13)C(6)]phenylalanine on consecutive days with seria...

Feeding stimulates robust increases in muscle protein synthesis (MPS); however, ageing may alter the anabolic response to protein ingestion and the subsequent aminoacidaemia. With this as background, we aimed to determine in the present study the dose-response of MPS with the ingestion of isolated whey protein, with and without prior resistance exe...

The chapters in this book are arranged within a thematic structure as indicated in the sections below. The first part pursues the theme of amino acid metabolism through the driving actions of the principal enzymes, emphasizing recent developments particularly with reference to localization, molecular genetics, biophysical characterization and regul...

Free form and protein source amino acidsupplements are widely available, and arepopular within the athletic community.Amino acids (AA) independently stimulatemuscle protein synthesis (MPS) independentlyof hormones such as insulin, andsuppress muscle protein breakdown (MPB)to a small degree. Concomitant with AAingestion is an activation of cell-sign...

This study examined the effects of NH(4)Cl ingestion on phosphocreatine (PCr) metabolism during 9 min of moderate- (MOD) and heavy- (HVY) intensity constant-load isotonic plantar-flexion exercise. Healthy young adult male subjects (n = 8) completed both a control (CON) and NH(4)Cl ingestion (ACID) trial. Phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscop...