Investigating Protein Turnover in Athletes During Low Energy Availability

Low energy availability (LEA) is a major challenge facing both sport and public health and occurs when there is a mismatch between dietary energy intake and exercise energy expenditure, leaving inadequate energy to support physiological processes. Chronic or severe LEA can negatively affect health, including adverse effects on skeletal muscle metabolism. Athletes are especially susceptible to periods of LEA, either intentionally (e.g. to manipulate body composition) or unintentionally due to high training volumes. The purpose of this project is to investigate changes to skeletal muscle and whole-body protein turnover in response to short-term, severe LEA exposure in elite-level male and female athletes, using different methods (diet- and exercise-induced) to achieve LEA. The study design leverages the unique infrastructure available at Australian Catholic University, including access to an elite athlete population, a human metabolic chamber, and support facilities to control diet, while drawing on the methodological expertise of McMaster University in tracer applications for protein turnover. The integration of mechanistic and applied research approaches opens the door to future large-scale, multi-site projects examining nutrition and exercise interactions across different populations.

Faculty Supervisor:

Stuart Phillips

Student:

Partner:

Australian Catholic University

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

McMaster University

Program: