Macro partitioning
In individuals with chronic spinal cord injury, combining home-based neuromuscular electrical stimulation resistance training (NMES-RT) with daily leucine-enriched whey protein supplementation significantly increases thigh lean mass compared to NMES-RT alone.
If you have a spinal cord injury, doing resistance training with electrical stimulation (NMES) at home is effective for building leg muscle. Adding a daily whey protein supplement (specifically one with leucine) on top of this training yields significantly more muscle growth than training alone. Consistency is key, as adherence was very high in this study.
Thigh lean mass was increased to a greater extent after NMES+PRO compared to NMES (0.3 (0.2, 0.4) kg; p < 0.001)... Twelve weeks of home- based NMES- RT increased thigh lean mass, an effect that was potentiated by protein supplementation.
Why this rating
Pilot randomized controlled trial with a small sample size (n=15), though adherence was high and statistical significance was strong.
Source
The effect of home‐based neuromuscular electrical stimulation‐resistance training and protein supplementation on lean mass in persons with spinal cord injury: A pilot study
Sven P. Hoekstra et al. · Physiological Reports · 2024
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