Prenatal Amino Acid Supplementation to Improve Fetal Growth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Terstappen, Fieke; Tol, Angela J C; Gremmels, Hendrik; Wever, Kimberley E; Paauw, Nina D; Joles, Jaap A; Beek, Eline M van der; Lely, A Titia
(2020) Nutrients, volume 12, issue 9, pp. 1 - 55
(Article)
Abstract
Aberrant fetal growth remains a leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality and is associated with a risk of developing non-communicable diseases later in life. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis combining human and animal studies to assess whether prenatal amino acid (AA) supplementation could be a promising approach
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to promote healthy fetal growth. PubMed, Embase and Cochrane libraries were searched to identify studies orally supplementing the following AA groups during gestation: (1) arginine family; (2) branched chain (BCAA); (3) methyl donors. Primary outcome was fetal/birth weight. 22 human and 89 animal studies were included in the systematic review. The arginine family, and especially arginine itself, was studied most. Our meta-analysis showed beneficial effects of arginine and (N-Carbamyl) glutamate (NCG), but not aspartic acid and citrulline on fetal/birth weight. However, no effects were reported when isonitrogenous control diet was included. BCAA and methyl donor supplementation did not affect fetal/birth weight. Arginine family supplementation, in particular arginine and NCG, improves fetal growth in complicated pregnancies. BCAA and methyl donor supplementation do not seem to be as promising to target fetal growth. Well controlled research in complicated pregnancies is needed before ruling out AA supplements or preferring arginine above other AAs.
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Keywords: Amino acids, Arginine, Birth weight, Branched chain amino acid, Fetal growth restriction, Meta-analysis, Methyl donor, Pregnancy, birth weight, branched chain amino acid, amino acids, pregnancy, meta-analysis, arginine, fetal growth restriction, methyl donor, Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics, Review, Journal Article
ISSN: 2072-6643
Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Note: Funding Information: Funding: This study was supported by ZonMw MKMD Synthesis of Evidence (114024115 and 114024131) and the Dutch Kidney Foundation (15O141). Publisher Copyright: © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
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