MYOVEG

Contact : Marine Gueugneau (ASMS)

Abstract

To achieve a more sustainable future for all, plant-based foods are attracting growing interest. Replacing foods rich in animal protein with plant-based sources could also be associated with health benefits and successful aging. Aging is associated with a decrease in muscle mass and function, leading to a loss of independence and a poor quality of life. Therefore, the quality of dietary protein plays a major role in maintaining muscle health in older adults. Although plant-based proteins are less anabolic than animal proteins, their quality can be improved by combining different sources, such as legumes and cereals. Furthermore, the plant-based food matrix could also contribute to maintaining muscle health in older adults, particularly through fiber or polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, the effects of a plant-based diet on muscle health in older adults remain to be studied, and clinical studies are needed. The main objective of this project is to determine how an increase in the proportion of plant-based foods in the diet affects muscle mass, function, and protein metabolism in older adults. A clinical study will be conducted to compare the effects of diets containing different proportions of plant-based foods on skeletal muscle and protein metabolism in healthy older men and women. Omics analyses will identify molecular mechanisms and potential muscle biomarkers that could reflect changes in skeletal muscle related to a plant-based diet. Thus, our MYOVEG project will provide information on the consequences of a plant-based diet on muscle health in older adults, as well as recommendations for maintaining muscle health in older men and women.