Maternal Protein Restriction and Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation Differentially Affect Maternal Energy Balance and Impair Offspring Growth.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The increasing prevalence of low-birth-weight (LBW) offspring from obese mothers underscores the need for dietary strategies to mitigate the transgenerational propagation of metabolic diseases.

Objectives

We determined whether dietary protein restriction under obesogenic conditions altered maternal energy balance and led to LBW offspring and whether branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation improved maternal energy balance and mitigated weight and craniofacial skeletal deficits in offspring.

Methods

High-fat-fed obese pregnant Sprague Dawley rats (~8-10 weeks of age, n = 8-11/group) were randomized in study 1 to control high-fat diet (20% protein; HFD), low-protein diet (LP; 5% protein), and LP + BCAA diet (100% BCAA requirements) and in study

SUBMITTER: Redrovan D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12844609 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature