Insect vs Animal Protein for Building Muscle

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Cricket Protein, Whey Protein

In brief

This research is being carried out to investigate the potential of insects (crickets) as a sustainable protein source for supporting human muscle tissue by comparing cricket protein to a commonly used animal protein (whey). Insects have been used as protein source for many years in East-Asian and African cultures. More recently the interest in this potential protein source has been growing in Western countries due to the negative environmental impact of producing animal foods and the increased awareness of animal welfare issues in the food chain. Insects are a more sustainable protein source, requiring less land, water and feed, and producing less carbon emissions (greenhouse gases) compared to farming livestock (e.g. cows, pigs, chickens etc.) However, up until now there is no clear evidence that insect-derived protein has the same nutritional properties as animal-derived protein. Recent data from our research group indicates that there appears to be no difference in the digestibility of an insect protein compared to a traditional animal protein amongst younger, middle-aged and older adults. The investigators now want to explore the potential of insect protein to increase muscle mass and strength.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07159919

Run by

University of Surrey

People needed

34

Starts

2025-11-29

Expected to finish

2027-01-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-04-29

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Adult males and females in general good health (aged 18+)
• BMI between 18.5 and 35 kg/m2
• Weight stable for 3 months (± 2 kg)
• Volunteers must be able and willing to give informed written consent
• Volunteers must be willing to provide blood and muscle tissue samples
• Volunteers must have been resistance training at least 3x per week for a minimum of 2 years
• Volunteers must be willing to follow a resistance training programme and consume a daily protein supplement for 12 weeks
• Not allergic to local anaesthetic

You may not qualify if…

• Injury or illness that prevents the adherence to 12 weeks resistance training and protein supplementation
• Those with metabolic conditions such as diabetes
• Those taking nutritional ergogenic aids (e.g. creatine, beta-alanine, sodium bicarbonate, dietary nitrate etc.)
• Those smoking, using nicotine products (e.g., e-cigarettes, patches) or not abstained from these activities for more than 6 months
• Pregnant or lactating (those who become pregnant during this study must notify the researchers immediately and the participant will be removed)
• Volunteers with a habitual caffeine intake >400 mg/day (more than 5 cups standard coffee)
• Drug or alcohol abuse in the last 2 years
• Those who are taking performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) or have previously taken PEDs in the previous 10 years
• Those who do not refrain from alcohol, caffeine containing drinks (e.g., coffee, coca cola, tea, Red Bull) and strenuous exercise 12 hours before the phase 1 visit
• Those with food allergies
• Those following weight loss diets
• Those who are vegan, vegetarian or refrain from dairy/egg consumption

Where it is running

• University of Surrey, Stag Hill Campus — Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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