Effects of ostrich meat intake on amino acid metabolism and growth hormone secretion: A comparative clinical study.

Abstract

Objective: We investigated the effects of the intake of ostrich meat (OM), which is characterized by high protein and low fat, on the body, focusing on protein and amino acid metabolism and growth hormone (GH) secretion. Methods: Plasma amino acid levels, growth hormone (GH) secretion after exercise and autonomic nervous function (device used: VM500 [Fatigue Science Laboratory Inc.]) were measured in 12 healthy subjects (33.3 ± 6.9 years old, BMI 21.6 ± 1.6) after ingestion of the test food (OM) or control food for one week each. Results: A significant increase in the blood levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), lysine and histidine, and an increase in those for 1-methylhistidine and 3-methylhistidine, which are the indicators of muscle protein breakdown, were observed after the intake of OM, suggesting that protein metabolism in the muscles was activated. Subclass analysis excluding cases with high GH before exercise load showed a significant increase in GH secretion after a walking exercise (30 min) only after the intake of OM. The autonomic nervous function test did not reveal any significant findings. There were no OM-related adverse events during the study. Conclusion: OM is a low-fat meat containing physiologically significant amino acids in large quantities, and it was suggested that OM could be safe and suitable for a protein and amino acid supplement.