Influence of Obesity and IL-6 on Human Postprandial Amino Acid and Protein Metabolism at Whole-body and Tissue Level
Authors' conclusion
Obesity impairs meal-induced muscle-protein gain, through insufficient suppression of protein degradation. Basal IL-6 activity does not regulate muscle protein turnover but influences amino acid metabolism and protein synthesis in extramuscular tissues.
Study context
- Population
- Men with healthy weight or obesity
- Comparison
- IL-6 receptor blockade with tocilizumab (3 weeks) vs placebo, in men with healthy weight or obesity
- Healthy weightn = 12reference
- Obesityn = 12
- Outcome
- Amino acid and protein turnover (whole-body, skeletal muscle, subcutaneous adipose tissue), fasted and postprandial
Methodological detailsplacebo-controlled, nonrandomized, participant-blinded, prespecified exploratory outcomes, Trial originally designed to examine IL-6 effects on fat storage (reported previously)
- Placebo-controlled
- Nonrandomized
- Participant-blinded
- Prespecified exploratory outcomes
- Trial originally designed to examine IL-6 effects on fat storage (reported previously)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Obesity was associated with reduced meal-induced muscle-protein gain driven by impaired suppression of muscle protein degradation
- Obesity was associated with reduced appearance of amino acids from meals
- In both groups, IL-6 receptor blockade increased fasting and postprandial plasma amino acids
- In both groups, IL-6 receptor blockade reduced postprandial plasma protein synthesis without affecting skeletal muscle protein turnover
- In healthy weight group, IL-6 receptor blockade increased amino acid appearance from the meal and postprandial phenylalanine oxidation
- Prespecified exploratory outcomes
Original publication
Influence of Obesity and IL-6 on Human Postprandial Amino Acid and Protein Metabolism at Whole-body and Tissue Level. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Published 9 October 2025. doi:10.
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