Full-Fat Dairy Milk vs. Isolated Free Nutrient Blend on Postprandial Protein Metabolism and Inflammatory Markers in Adults With Overweight and Obesity

Authors

• Takeshi M. Barnes, Gonzaga UniversityFollow
• Zan Zupancic, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Max T. Deutz, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Andrew T. Askow, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Colleen F. McKenna, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Jonathan A. Aguilera, University of Toronto
• Cassidy T. Tinline-Goodfellow, University of Toronto
• Alexander V. Ulanov, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Jared W. WIllard, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Daniel W. D. West, University of Toronto
• Michael De Lisio, University of Ottawa
• Daniel R. Moore, University of Toronto
• Nicholas A. Burd, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Clinical Nutrition ESPEN

Abstract

Excess adiposity is linked to anabolic resistance by blunting the postprandial myofibrillar protein synthetic response to protein ingestion. Full-fat dairy milk may overcome this resistance via a matrix combining high-quality protein with anti-inflammatory lipids. Therefore, we compared the effects of ingesting full-fat dairy milk versus a non-dairy macronutrient match isolated blend on the regulation of postprandial myofibrillar and mitochondrial protein synthesis rates and markers of systemic (i.e., IL-6 and TNF-α) and muscle-related inflammation (i.e., NF-κB, NLRP3, TLR4, and MyD88). Twenty-two obese and overweight adult males and females (BMI = 31.1 ± 3.7 kg m−2; aged 35.3 ± 13.2 y) were block-randomized to consume 16-oz of full-fat dairy milk (MILK; n = 12) or a non-dairy macronutrient match isolated blend (ISO; n = 10). Blood, breath, and muscle biopsies were collected at rest and after treatment ingestion during primed constant infusions of L-[ring-2H5]phenylalanine and L-[1–13C]leucine. Myofibrillar protein synthesis was elevated above baseline during the 0–300 min postprandial periods for both ISO (P < 0.001) and MILK (P = 0.05), with a more significant increase in ISO compared to MILK (P = 0.011). There was no change in postprandial mitochondrial protein synthesis from baseline regardless of condition (P > 0.05). Acute intramuscular NF-κB phosphorylation was elevated at 300 min postprandially in MILK (P = 0.002), with no other changes in systemic or muscle inflammatory markers in either group (all, P < 0.05). Full-fat dairy stimulated postprandial myofibrillar protein synthesis less effectively than a matched isolated blend and increased intramuscular NF-κB phosphorylation without modulating other markers of systemic inflammation.

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DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnesp.2026.103358

Volume

74

Publication Date

8-2026

Keywords

Myofibrillar protein synthesis, Anabolic resistance, Food matrix, Leucine, Mitochondrial protein synthesis, Dietary protein

Disciplines

Human and Clinical Nutrition | Kinesiology | Nutrition

ISSN

2405-4577

Recommended Citation

Barnes, Takeshi M., Žan Zupančič, Max T. Deutz, et al. 2026. “Full-Fat Dairy Milk vs. Isolated Free Nutrient Blend on Postprandial Protein Metabolism and Inflammatory Markers in Adults with Overweight and Obesity.” Clinical Nutrition ESPEN 74 (August): 103358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnesp.2026.103358.

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