Protein MetabolismProMinNCT07677098
Effects of Protein Type and Mineral Form on Amino Acid Availability
A study testing Protein beverage in people with Protein Metabolism, run by Maastricht University Medical Center at 1 site in Netherlands.
Trial summary
To compare postprandial plasma amino acid availability, expressed as incremental area under the curve (iAUC), over a 6 hour period following ingestion of 25 g of different protein isolates in healthy, young adults. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 35 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Protein Metabolism
- What is being tested?
- Protein beverage
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 16 participants
- Where
- 1 siteNetherlands
- Study dates
- 15 Sep 2026to 15 Jul 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 35 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
To be eligible to participate in this study, a participant must meet all of the following criteria:
- Male or female sex
- Aged between 18 - 35 years inclusive
- BMI between 18 - 30 kg/m2
- Healthy, recreationally active (exercise at least once per two weeks and a maximum of four days per week)
- No physical limitations (i.e., able to perform all activities associated with daily living independently)
A potential participant who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:
- Intolerant to milk protein and/or dairy-based products
- Smoking regularly
- Diagnosed with gastro-intestinal disorders
- Diagnosed with metabolic disorders (e.g. diabetes)
- Diagnosed with musculoskeletal disorders
- Blood donation in the past 2 months
- Females: pregnancy
- Use of any medication known to affect protein metabolism (e.g. corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories or prescribed acne medications)
- Chronic use of gastric acid suppressing drugs (e.g. proton pump inhibitors, H2-antagonists)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Netherlands1 site
Maastricht University Medical Centre
Maastricht, Limburg, 6200
Luc van Loon, PhD, 043-3881397, l.vanloon@maastrichtuniversity.nl
About this study
Official title: Effects of Protein Type and Mineral Form on Postprandial Amino Acid Availability in Healthy Young Adults: a Randomized Cross-over Study
To compare postprandial plasma amino acid availability, expressed as incremental area under the curve (iAUC), over a 6 hour period following ingestion of 25 g of different protein isolates in healthy, young adults. The primary objective is divided into the following 2 sub-studies, each with 3 comparisons:
- Sub-study 1: whey protein, calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate.
- Sub-study 2: calcium caseinate, magnesium caseinate, potassium caseinate.
Read the detailed description
All living tissues are in a constant state of protein turnover, with synthesis and breakdown processes ensuring structural integrity, metabolic flexibility and the capacity for repair. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and must be supplied through the diet to maintain a positive protein balance. Ingestion of high-quality protein sources (e.g. meat, dairy) leads to a postprandial increase in circulating amino acids, and as such can facilitate tissue protein synthesis. The magnitude and the kinetics of the amino acid response largely depend on the amino acid composition combined with protein digestion and amino acid absorption rate.
Beyond their structural role, amino acids also function as signalling molecules involved in gastrointestinal hormone secretion and appetite control. One such key hormone is glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a gut-derived hormone that plays an essential role in metabolic regulation such as insulin secretion and appetite suppression. Given its role in metabolic health, particularly in the context of obesity and type 2 diabetes, increasing GLP-1 availability has become a target for support in metabolic care. However, many pharmacological approaches to elevate GLP-1 are costly and carry risks of harmful side-effects.
Nutritional strategies that modulate GLP-1 secretion and availability therefore offer an attractive alternative. Emerging evidence suggests that not only protein ingestion itself, but also the matrix in which the protein is delivered can modulate GLP-1 secretion. For example, co- ingestion of specific minerals, especially calcium, has been shown to enhance GLP-1 secretion beyond the effects of protein ingestion alone. These data indicate that mineral-protein interactions may play a meaningful role in appetite regulation and metabolic signalling, warranting further investigation.
Bovine milk contains two primary high-quality protein fractions: whey (~20%) and casein (~80 %). Whey protein is rapidly digested, resulting in fast but transient increases in circulating amino acids, whereas casein protein is digested more slowly, leading to more prolonged but sustained amino acid availability (13-15). To optimize the functional properties of casein, various processing techniques can be applied, including the formation of caseinate salts through binding casein with different minerals such as calcium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium. These caseinate forms differ in mineral composition, which may influence not only digestion and absorption kinetics, but also GLP-1 secretion capacity. Although the differences in digestion kinetics between whey and casein are well-established, a direct comparison of postprandial amino acid and GLP-1 responses following ingestion of whey versus various mineral-bound caseinates has not yet been performed.
- Conditions
- Protein Metabolism
- Being tested
- Protein beverage
- Keywords
- Amino acid, Satiety hormone, Minerals, Protein kinetics
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Protein beverageDietary supplement
25 g protein isolate, dissolved in 500 mL water
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Whey protein | Active comparator | 25 g whey protein isolate Receives: Dietary Supplement: Protein beverage |
| Sodium caseinate | Experimental | 25 g sodium caseinate protein Receives: Dietary Supplement: Protein beverage |
| Calcium caseinate | Experimental | 25 g calcium caseinate protein Receives: Dietary Supplement: Protein beverage |
| Magnesium caseinate | Experimental | 25 g magnesium caseinate protein Receives: Dietary Supplement: Protein beverage |
| Potassium caseinate | Experimental | 25 g potassium caseinate protein Receives: Dietary Supplement: Protein beverage |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Six-hour postprandial plasma total amino acid availability following ingestion of 25 grams of different protein isolates in healthy, young adults
Plasma total amino acid availability is expressed as the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) and compared between whey protein, calcium caseinate and sodium caseinate (sub-study 1) and between calcium caseinate, magnesium caseinate and potassium caseinate (sub-study 2).
Measured: Six hours
Secondary outcomes (5)
Plasma essential amino acid concentrations
The summed measurement of histidine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine concentrations
Measured: Essential amino acid concentrations are derived from blood samples taken before beverage ingestion and during the six-hour postprandial time-period (at 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 300 and 360 minutes following beverage ingestion).
Non-essential amino acid concentrations
The summed measurement of alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glycine, serine, tyrosine and valine concentrations
Measured: Non-essential amino acid concentrations are derived from blood samples taken before drink ingestion and during the six-hour postprandial time-period (at 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 300 and 360 minutes following beverage ingestion).
Plasma amino acid kinetics
Compare peak plasma amino acid concentrations and the time to reach these peak concentrations of all individually measured amino acids
Measured: During the six-hour postprandial period
Circulating mineral concentrations
Calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium concentrations
Measured: During the six-hour postprandial period
Glucagon-like peptide-1 concentrations
Postprandial glucacon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) concentrations
Measured: During the six-hour postprandial period
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted30 Jun 2026
- Study start15 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion15 Jul 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion15 Jul 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Protein MetabolismStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Maastricht University Medical CenterThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Model description
- Within-subject, randomized, double-blind, cross-over design
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 16 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Maastricht University Medical Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- FrieslandCampina N.V.
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07677098
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- METC 26-007
- Other IDs
- NL-011398
- Acronym
- ProMin
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 24 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 21 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Protein Type and Mineral Form on Postprandial Amino Acid Availability in Healthy Young Adults: a Randomized Cross-over Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07677098
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ProMin / METC 26-007
- Conditions
- Protein Metabolism
- Keywords
- Amino acid, Satiety hormone, Minerals, Protein kinetics
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 16 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Maastricht University Medical CenterUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- FrieslandCampina N.V.
- Study start
- 15 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 15 Jul 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 15 Jul 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 30 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
To compare postprandial plasma amino acid availability, expressed as incremental area under the curve (iAUC), over a 6 hour period following ingestion of 25 g of different protein isolates in healthy, young adults. The primary objective is divided into the following 2 sub-studies, each with 3 comparisons:
- Sub-study 1: whey protein, calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate.
- Sub-study 2: calcium caseinate, magnesium caseinate, potassium caseinate.
Detailed description
All living tissues are in a constant state of protein turnover, with synthesis and breakdown processes ensuring structural integrity, metabolic flexibility and the capacity for repair. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and must be supplied through the diet to maintain a positive protein balance. Ingestion of high-quality protein sources (e.g. meat, dairy) leads to a postprandial increase in circulating amino acids, and as such can facilitate tissue protein synthesis. The magnitude and the kinetics of the amino acid response largely depend on the amino acid composition combined with protein digestion and amino acid absorption rate.
Beyond their structural role, amino acids also function as signalling molecules involved in gastrointestinal hormone secretion and appetite control. One such key hormone is glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a gut-derived hormone that plays an essential role in metabolic regulation such as insulin secretion and appetite suppression. Given its role in metabolic health, particularly in the context of obesity and type 2 diabetes, increasing GLP-1 availability has become a target for support in metabolic care. However, many pharmacological approaches to elevate GLP-1 are costly and carry risks of harmful side-effects.
Nutritional strategies that modulate GLP-1 secretion and availability therefore offer an attractive alternative. Emerging evidence suggests that not only protein ingestion itself, but also the matrix in which the protein is delivered can modulate GLP-1 secretion. For example, co- ingestion of specific minerals, especially calcium, has been shown to enhance GLP-1 secretion beyond the effects of protein ingestion alone. These data indicate that mineral-protein interactions may play a meaningful role in appetite regulation and metabolic signalling, warranting further investigation.
Bovine milk contains two primary high-quality protein fractions: whey (~20%) and casein (~80 %). Whey protein is rapidly digested, resulting in fast but transient increases in circulating amino acids, whereas casein protein is digested more slowly, leading to more prolonged but sustained amino acid availability (13-15). To optimize the functional properties of casein, various processing techniques can be applied, including the formation of caseinate salts through binding casein with different minerals such as calcium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium. These caseinate forms differ in mineral composition, which may influence not only digestion and absorption kinetics, but also GLP-1 secretion capacity. Although the differences in digestion kinetics between whey and casein are well-established, a direct comparison of postprandial amino acid and GLP-1 responses following ingestion of whey versus various mineral-bound caseinates has not yet been performed.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 5
- Model description
- Within-subject, randomized, double-blind, cross-over design
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Whey protein | Active comparator | Dietary Supplement: Protein beverage25 g whey protein isolate |
| Sodium caseinate | Experimental | Dietary Supplement: Protein beverage25 g sodium caseinate protein |
| Calcium caseinate | Experimental | Dietary Supplement: Protein beverage25 g calcium caseinate protein |
| Magnesium caseinate | Experimental | Dietary Supplement: Protein beverage25 g magnesium caseinate protein |
| Potassium caseinate | Experimental | Dietary Supplement: Protein beverage25 g potassium caseinate protein |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 35 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Protein beverage25 g protein isolate, dissolved in 500 mL water | Dietary supplement | Calcium caseinate, Magnesium caseinate, Potassium caseinate, Sodium caseinate, Whey protein |
Primary outcome
Six-hour postprandial plasma total amino acid availability following ingestion of 25 grams of different protein isolates in healthy, young adults
Time frame: Six hours
Plasma total amino acid availability is expressed as the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) and compared between whey protein, calcium caseinate and sodium caseinate (sub-study 1) and between calcium caseinate, magnesium caseinate and potassium caseinate (sub-study 2).
5 secondary outcomes
Plasma essential amino acid concentrations
Time frame: Essential amino acid concentrations are derived from blood samples taken before beverage ingestion and during the six-hour postprandial time-period (at 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 300 and 360 minutes following beverage ingestion).
Non-essential amino acid concentrations
Time frame: Non-essential amino acid concentrations are derived from blood samples taken before drink ingestion and during the six-hour postprandial time-period (at 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 300 and 360 minutes following beverage ingestion).
Plasma amino acid kinetics
Time frame: During the six-hour postprandial period
Circulating mineral concentrations
Time frame: During the six-hour postprandial period
Glucagon-like peptide-1 concentrations
Time frame: During the six-hour postprandial period
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 21 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Protein beverage in people with Protein Metabolism, run by Maastricht University Medical Center at 1 site in Netherlands.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Netherlands. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Noortje Boot, MSc (088-3887246, noortje.boot@maastrichtuniversity.nl), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Six-hour postprandial plasma total amino acid availability following ingestion of 25 grams of different protein isolates in healthy, young adults (time frame: Six hours). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 21 Sep 2026.