Different Blood Metabolomics Profiles in Infants Consuming a Meat- or Dairy-Based Complementary Diet

Nutrients. 2021 Jan 27;13(2):388. doi: 10.3390/nu13020388.

Abstract

Background: Research is limited in evaluating the mechanisms responsible for infant growth in response to different protein-rich foods; Methods: Targeted and untargeted metabolomics analysis were conducted on serum samples collected from an infant controlled-feeding trial that participants consumed a meat- vs. dairy-based complementary diet from 5 to 12 months of age, and followed up at 24 months.

Results: Isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine increased and threonine decreased over time among all participants; Although none of the individual essential amino acids had a significant impact on changes in growth Z scores from 5 to 12 months, principal component heavily weighted by BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, valine) and phenylalanine had a positive association with changes in length-for-age Z score from 5 to 12 months. Concentrations of acylcarnitine-C4, acylcarnitine-C5 and acylcarnitine-C5:1 significantly increased over time with the dietary intervention, but none of the acylcarnitines were associated with infant growth Z scores. Quantitative trimethylamine N-oxide increased in the meat group from 5 to 12 months; Conclusions: Our findings suggest that increasing total protein intake by providing protein-rich complementary foods was associated with increased concentrations of certain essential amino acids and short-chain acyl-carnitines. The sources of protein-rich foods (e.g., meat vs. dairy) did not appear to differentially impact serum metabolites, and comprehensive mechanistic investigations are needed to identify other contributors or mediators of the diet-induced infant growth trajectories.

Keywords: growth; infant nutrition; metabolomics; protein-rich foods.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids, Branched-Chain / blood
  • Amino Acids, Essential / blood
  • Carnitine / analogs & derivatives
  • Carnitine / blood
  • Dairy Products*
  • Diet*
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena*
  • Isoleucine / blood
  • Leucine / blood
  • Meat*
  • Metabolomics*
  • Phenylalanine / blood
  • Valine / blood

Substances

  • Amino Acids, Branched-Chain
  • Amino Acids, Essential
  • acylcarnitine
  • Isoleucine
  • Phenylalanine
  • Leucine
  • Valine
  • Carnitine