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Plant‐protein supplementation improves thermoregulatory responses and ameliorates markers of intestinal damage during exercise in the heat

Robyn Aitkenhead, Mark Waldron Orcid Logo, Gill Conway Orcid Logo, Katy Horner, Shane Heffernan Orcid Logo

Experimental Physiology

Swansea University Authors: Robyn Aitkenhead, Mark Waldron Orcid Logo, Gill Conway Orcid Logo, Shane Heffernan Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1113/ep093504

Abstract

Exercise in the heat often causes gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances, which can impair performance. Single amino acid supplementation can attenuate gut damage and enhance exercise tolerance; however, the effectiveness of innate amino acid blends from plant‐based proteins remains underexplored. In th...

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Published in: Experimental Physiology
ISSN: 0958-0670 1469-445X
Published: Wiley 2026
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71691
first_indexed 2026-04-01T09:00:39Z
last_indexed 2026-04-03T03:30:52Z
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spelling 2026-04-01T10:08:08.1250345 v2 71691 2026-04-01 Plant‐protein supplementation improves thermoregulatory responses and ameliorates markers of intestinal damage during exercise in the heat 3e157b6e7d9802d5be3c8dd790c71679 Robyn Aitkenhead Robyn Aitkenhead true false 70db7c6c54d46f5e70b39e5ae0a056fa 0000-0002-2720-4615 Mark Waldron Mark Waldron true false e33e0ee5a076ad91fe6615117caa1800 0000-0002-5991-0960 Gill Conway Gill Conway true false 72c0b36891dfbec0378c0d0f7916e807 0000-0002-3297-9335 Shane Heffernan Shane Heffernan true false 2026-04-01 Exercise in the heat often causes gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances, which can impair performance. Single amino acid supplementation can attenuate gut damage and enhance exercise tolerance; however, the effectiveness of innate amino acid blends from plant‐based proteins remains underexplored. In this study, we investigated the effects of a novel fava bean‐derived plant protein (ATURA) on thermoregulation, endurance performance and GI disturbances during exercise. Twelve healthy, non‐heat‐acclimatized participants completed an exercise trial (10 min walk, 40 min run, graded exercise test) in the heat (35°C; 40% relative humidity), before and after 8 days of ATURA (60 g/day) or placebo, in a double‐blind, randomized, cross‐over design. Whole‐body sweat rate, local sweat rate, pulmonary gas exchange, skin and core temperature and perceptual responses were monitored, with pre‐ and post‐trial blood samples. ATURA increased whole‐body sweat rate (11%; P = 0.03) and back local sweat rate (11%; P < 0.001) and reduced core temperature (ATURA, 38.7°C ± 0.5°C; placebo, 38.8°C ± 0.5°C; P = 0.04) and thermal sensation (P = 0.05) in comparison to placebo. There were no differences for skin temperature, thermal comfort or graded exercise test time (P > 0.05). ATURA reduced postexercise intestinal fatty‐acid binding protein (22%) compared with placebo (P = 0.05), with no difference for soluble CD14 or GI symptoms. Pre‐to‐post HSP70 was higher after ATURA (12%, P = 0.05), with no difference for interleukin‐6 (P > 0.05). Pre‐exercise fava bean protein reduced postexercise intestinal fatty‐acid binding protein, indicating a potential protective effect on intestinal integrity, and was well tolerated, without increasing GI symptoms. Exploratory outcomes suggest possible thermoregulatory benefits, warranting further investigation. Journal Article Experimental Physiology 0 Wiley 0958-0670 1469-445X amino acid, exercise-induced gastrointestinal syndrome, fava bean, plant-based food, thermo-regulation 31 3 2026 2026-03-31 10.1113/ep093504 COLLEGE NANME COLLEGE CODE Swansea University SU Library paid the OA fee (TA Institutional Deal) Marigot Ltd. 2026-04-01T10:08:08.1250345 2026-04-01T09:52:47.3367770 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Sport and Exercise Sciences Robyn Aitkenhead 1 Mark Waldron 0000-0002-2720-4615 2 Gill Conway 0000-0002-5991-0960 3 Katy Horner 4 Shane Heffernan 0000-0002-3297-9335 5 71691__36461__ca5a342ed78c4c66a123d73d6fd110e3.pdf EP093504.pdf 2026-04-01T09:52:47.2430631 Output 1485786 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Plant‐protein supplementation improves thermoregulatory responses and ameliorates markers of intestinal damage during exercise in the heat
spellingShingle Plant‐protein supplementation improves thermoregulatory responses and ameliorates markers of intestinal damage during exercise in the heat
Robyn Aitkenhead
Mark Waldron
Gill Conway
Shane Heffernan
title_short Plant‐protein supplementation improves thermoregulatory responses and ameliorates markers of intestinal damage during exercise in the heat
title_full Plant‐protein supplementation improves thermoregulatory responses and ameliorates markers of intestinal damage during exercise in the heat
title_fullStr Plant‐protein supplementation improves thermoregulatory responses and ameliorates markers of intestinal damage during exercise in the heat
title_full_unstemmed Plant‐protein supplementation improves thermoregulatory responses and ameliorates markers of intestinal damage during exercise in the heat
title_sort Plant‐protein supplementation improves thermoregulatory responses and ameliorates markers of intestinal damage during exercise in the heat
author_id_str_mv 3e157b6e7d9802d5be3c8dd790c71679
70db7c6c54d46f5e70b39e5ae0a056fa
e33e0ee5a076ad91fe6615117caa1800
72c0b36891dfbec0378c0d0f7916e807
author_id_fullname_str_mv 3e157b6e7d9802d5be3c8dd790c71679_***_Robyn Aitkenhead
70db7c6c54d46f5e70b39e5ae0a056fa_***_Mark Waldron
e33e0ee5a076ad91fe6615117caa1800_***_Gill Conway
72c0b36891dfbec0378c0d0f7916e807_***_Shane Heffernan
author Robyn Aitkenhead
Mark Waldron
Gill Conway
Shane Heffernan
author2 Robyn Aitkenhead
Mark Waldron
Gill Conway
Katy Horner
Shane Heffernan
format Journal article
container_title Experimental Physiology
container_volume 0
publishDate 2026
institution Swansea University
issn 0958-0670
1469-445X
doi_str_mv 10.1113/ep093504
publisher Wiley
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Sport and Exercise Sciences{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Sport and Exercise Sciences
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description Exercise in the heat often causes gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances, which can impair performance. Single amino acid supplementation can attenuate gut damage and enhance exercise tolerance; however, the effectiveness of innate amino acid blends from plant‐based proteins remains underexplored. In this study, we investigated the effects of a novel fava bean‐derived plant protein (ATURA) on thermoregulation, endurance performance and GI disturbances during exercise. Twelve healthy, non‐heat‐acclimatized participants completed an exercise trial (10 min walk, 40 min run, graded exercise test) in the heat (35°C; 40% relative humidity), before and after 8 days of ATURA (60 g/day) or placebo, in a double‐blind, randomized, cross‐over design. Whole‐body sweat rate, local sweat rate, pulmonary gas exchange, skin and core temperature and perceptual responses were monitored, with pre‐ and post‐trial blood samples. ATURA increased whole‐body sweat rate (11%; P = 0.03) and back local sweat rate (11%; P < 0.001) and reduced core temperature (ATURA, 38.7°C ± 0.5°C; placebo, 38.8°C ± 0.5°C; P = 0.04) and thermal sensation (P = 0.05) in comparison to placebo. There were no differences for skin temperature, thermal comfort or graded exercise test time (P > 0.05). ATURA reduced postexercise intestinal fatty‐acid binding protein (22%) compared with placebo (P = 0.05), with no difference for soluble CD14 or GI symptoms. Pre‐to‐post HSP70 was higher after ATURA (12%, P = 0.05), with no difference for interleukin‐6 (P > 0.05). Pre‐exercise fava bean protein reduced postexercise intestinal fatty‐acid binding protein, indicating a potential protective effect on intestinal integrity, and was well tolerated, without increasing GI symptoms. Exploratory outcomes suggest possible thermoregulatory benefits, warranting further investigation.
published_date 2026-03-31T07:01:27Z
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score 11.100739

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