ArticleThe American journal of clinical nutrition2015
Defining meal requirements for protein to optimize metabolic roles of amino acids.
Article in The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 57 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
57 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Effect of protein supplementation on hip bone mineral density, cortical thickness, and bone strength in older adult participants during a caloric restriction and aerobic exercise weight loss intervention: a randomized controlled trial.Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA · 2026Trial
- Protein Substitute Absorption: A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing CGMP vs. Amino Acids vs. Micellar Casein in Healthy Volunteers.Nutrients · 2025Trial
- High Frequency Protein-Rich Meal Service to Promote Protein Distribution to Stimulate Muscle Function in Preoperative Patients.Nutrients · 2021Trial
- Improved Function With Enhanced Protein Intake per Meal: A Pilot Study of Weight Reduction in Frail, Obese Older Adults.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2016Trial
- Breakfast Macronutrient Composition Influences Thermic Effect of Feeding and Fat Oxidation in Young Women Who Habitually Skip Breakfast.Nutrients · 2016Trial
- Markers of Renal Function in Older Adults Completing a Higher Protein Obesity Intervention and One Year Later: Findings from the MEASUR-UP Trial.Journal of nutrition in gerontology and geriatricsTrial
- Article
- Beyond daily totals: meal-level digestible indispensable amino acid score reveals how food groups shape protein quality in vegan diets.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Article
- Achieving High Protein Quality Is a Challenge in Vegan Diets: A Narrative Review.Nutrition reviews · 2025Review
- Dietary protein intake and overall diet quality in adults with cystic fibrosis following elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor therapy.The British journal of nutrition · 2025Observational
- The impact of dietary interventions on cardiometabolic health.Cardiovascular diabetology · 2025Review
- Protein Intake and Protein Quality Patterns in New Zealand Vegan Diets: An Observational Analysis Using Dynamic Time Warping.Nutrients · 2025Observational
- Animal amino acid sensor - A review.Animal bioscience · 2025Article
- Article
- Identification of a leucine-mediated threshold effect governing macrophage mTOR signalling and cardiovascular risk.Nature metabolism · 2024Article
- Impacts of protein quantity and distribution on body composition.Frontiers in nutrition · 2024Review
- Review
- Intermittent fasting interventions to leverage metabolic and circadian mechanisms for cancer treatment and supportive care outcomes.Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Monographs · 2023Article
- In Silico Exploration of Metabolically Active Peptides as Potential Therapeutic Agents against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Dietary protein provides essential amino acids (EAAs) for the synthesis of new proteins plus an array of other metabolic functions; many of these functions are sensitive to postprandial plasma and intracellular amino acid concentrations. Recent research has focused on amino acids as metabolic signals that influence the rate of protein synthesis, inflammation responses, mitochondrial activity, and satiety, exerting their influence through signaling systems including mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), general control nonrepressed 2 (GCN2), glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY), serotonin, and insulin. These signals represent meal-based responses to dietary protein. The best characterized of these signals is the leucine-induced activation of mTORC1, which leads to the stimulation of skeletal muscle protein synthesis after ingestion of a meal that contains protein. The response of this metabolic pathway to dietary protein (i.e., meal threshold) declines with advancing age or reduced physical activity. Current dietary recommendations for protein are focused on total daily intake of 0.8 g/kg body weight, but new research suggests daily needs for older adults of ≥1.0 g/kg and identifies anabolic and metabolic benefits to consuming at least 20-30 g protein at a given meal. Resistance exercise appears to increase the efficiency of EAA use for muscle anabolism and to lower the meal threshold for stimulation of protein synthesis. Applying this information to a typical 3-meal-a-day dietary plan results in protein intakes that are well within the guidelines of the Dietary Reference Intakes for acceptable macronutrient intakes. The meal threshold concept for dietary protein emphasizes a need for redistribution of dietary protein for optimum metabolic health.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.