Cheddar cheese, blood amino acids and muscle response
What it found
In 24 young adults, Cheddar cheese gave a slower but longer-lasting rise in blood amino acids than milk, and did not raise insulin.
Both foods triggered muscle-building signals, but milk's was stronger early on.
What they found
Studies in people
Blood amino acids
Cheese caused a slower but more sustained rise in branched-chain amino acids, peaking around 120 minutes. Milk caused a faster, sharper rise that returned to baseline sooner. Over the whole 5 hours, total amino acid availability was similar for both.
Insulin and glucose
Milk caused a rapid insulin spike 20 minutes after drinking, but cheese did not significantly change insulin at any time. Blood glucose dropped after both foods, but the drop came earlier with milk.
Muscle-building signals
Both cheese and milk increased markers of muscle protein building (mTORC1 signaling). Milk's effect was stronger at 60 minutes, while cheese's effect lasted longer, still being seen at 180 minutes.
Muscle protein translation
In a subset of 4 people, both foods activated the same muscle-building pathways. Milk's effect faded by 180 minutes, but cheese's effect persisted.
Free fatty acids
Free fatty acids in the blood dropped after eating either food, but the drop was larger with milk. By 300 minutes, free fatty acids were higher than baseline for both.
What the authors conclude
“We conclude that Cheddar cheese induced a sustained blood amino acid and moderate muscle mTORC1 response yet had a lower glycemic profile compared to milk.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that Cheddar cheese provides a slow and sustained release of amino acids and activates muscle-building signals, compared with milk matched for protein.
- They say Cheddar cheese did not noticeably increase insulin or affect muscle glucose handling, unlike milk.
- They suggest low-fat Cheddar cheese should be considered a protein-rich food choice, especially for people who need to control blood sugar.
How it was done
The authors wanted to know how a whole food like Cheddar cheese affects blood amino acids and muscle-building signals, since most studies have used isolated proteins rather than real foods.
Twenty-four healthy young men and women (about 27 years old) each ate 65 g of Cheddar cheese (20 g protein) or drank 370 mL of milk (20 g protein) on two separate visits. Blood was sampled for 5 hours and muscle biopsies were taken at 0, 60 and 180 minutes.
What it can’t tell you
- This study only looked at a single dose of cheese over 5 hours in young, healthy adults. It cannot show what happens with long-term cheese eating or in other groups.
- The study measured muscle-building signals, not actual muscle growth or strength. It cannot show whether these signals lead to more muscle over time.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by NCATS NIH HHS (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- E.D.B. and L.S.W. are employed by Dairy West and Glanbia Nutritionals, respectively.
- Authors work at
- University of Utah, USA; Miami University, USA; Geoge E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, USA
The paper
- Title
- Acute Effects of Cheddar Cheese Consumption on Circulating Amino Acids and Human Skeletal Muscle
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- de Hart NMMP, Mahmassani ZS, Reidy PT, et al (2021). Acute Effects of Cheddar Cheese Consumption on Circulating Amino Acids and Human Skeletal Muscle. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu13020614Free full textPubMed 33668674DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error