Combined effect of citrulline and lactoserum on amino acid availability in aged rats
Prasanthi Jegatheesan Nutrition 11 February 2021,
Highlights
• In aging, muscle protein synthesis may be improved by fast proteins and by citrulline.
• Fast proteins and citrulline may be associated in oral nutritional supplement to prevent frailty.
• Combination of citrulline with lactoserum may favorably improve muscle protein anabolic response in aging.
Objective: Age-associated sarcopenia is due to anabolic resistance to feeding. Muscle protein synthesis is improved by fast proteins (e.g. lactoserum), which increase peripheral amino acid (AA) bioavailability more rapidly than slow proteins (e.g. casein), and by citrulline. Citrulline, which limits splanchnic sequestration of AA, may more effectively increase peripheral AA bioavailability when combined with lactoserum than with casein when administered as an oral nutritional protein supplement.
Research method & Procedures: 25 fasted aged rats received a single gavage administration of lactoserum or casein 0.4 g/kg, alone or with citrulline 0.4 g/kg and AA pharmacokinetics, glucose, insulin, triglycerides and IGF1 were monitored for 4 hours. At 4 hours muscle protein and AA contents and protein synthesis activation were measured.
Results: While lactoserum was associated with higher AA availability, citrulline exerts only limited effects on the plasma profile of AAs from the two proteins. Maximum plasma citrulline was reached earlier with casein (t90min) than with lactoserum (t120min). A protein x citrulline interaction was observed for some plasma and muscle AA levels with a significant activation of mTORC1 signaling suggesting higher anabolism with the combination of citrulline and lactoserum. Lower plasma and muscle AA levels with citrulline and lactoserum compared with lactoserum alone suggest a greater AA utilization in a context of muscle anabolic signaling activation.
Conclusion: Provision of a citrulline-lactoserum combination as a nutritional supplement could therefore be beneficial in terms of muscle protein balance and prevention of sarcopenia. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the efficacy of this combination.