Metabolic Availability of Lysine in Cooked Sorghum in Healthy Adult Males using the Combined Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation and Slope Ratio Method

Metabolic Availability of Lysine in Cooked Sorghum in Healthy Adult Males Using the Combined Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation and Slope Ratio Method Alyssa Paoletti Master of Science The Department of Nutritional Sciences University of Toronto 2019 Abstract The metabolic availability (MA) of lysine was studied using the indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) method in 5 healthy adult men. Each subject participated in 8 experiments. Principles of slope-ratio were applied to evaluate the MA of lysine in sorghum by comparing the IAAO response to varying intakes of lysine in cooked sorghum relative to the IAAO response to free crystalline lysine. The IAAO response to complementing lysine from sorghum and lentils in a mixed meal format was also assessed. The MA of lysine from cooked sorghum was found to be 94%. Complementation with lentils resulted in a decline in oxidation reflecting increased protein synthesis. The findings demonstrate that most of the lysine in cooked sorghum is available for protein synthesis. A combination of sorghum and lentil in a 1: 1 ratio is recommended for individuals consuming a plant-based sorghum and lentil diet.%%%%M.Sc.