Effect of low- and high-protein maternal diets during gestation on reproductive outcomes in the rat: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Ajuogu, P. K. and Wolden, M. and McFarlane, J. R. and Hart, R. A. and Carlson, D. J. and Van der Touw, T. and Smart, N. A.

J Anim Sci (2020) 98:

DOI: 10.1093/jas/skz380

Abstract

Studies with animal models have consistently demonstrated adverse health outcomes in offspring born following nutritional manipulation during gestation. However, the effects of gestational dietary protein modification on reproductive outcomes at birth are less clear. We, therefore, conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials to determine whether high- or low-protein diets are associated with altered reproductive outcomes in a commonly studied species, the rat. Included studies were identified through a systematic search using electronic databases and manual literature review to identify randomized studies published between June 1972 and March 2019. Thirty-two studies were identified and used to analyze the effects of low- and high-protein gestational diets on litter size, litter weight, gestational weight gain, and gestational feed intake. The results indicate that low-protein diets significantly reduced litter weight (P \textless 0.00001) and gestational weight gain (P \textless 0.0006), but did not influence litter size (P = 0.62) or gestational feed intake (P = 0.25). In contrast, high-protein diets were found to reduce gestational feed intake (P = 0.004) but did not influence litter size (P = 0.56), litter weight (P = 0.22), or gestational weight gain (P = 0.35). The results suggest that low but not high-protein gestational diets alter reproductive outcomes at birth in rats.

Citation

Ajuogu, P. K., Wolden, M., McFarlane, J. R., Hart, R. A., Carlson, D. J., Van der Touw, T., & Smart, N. A. (2020). Effect of low- and high-protein maternal diets during gestation on reproductive outcomes in the rat: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Anim Sci, 98(1). https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skz380 Animals, Rats, Female, Pregnancy, gestation, meta-analysis, reproduction, Animal Feed/analysis, systematic review, Reproduction/*drug effects, Dietary Proteins/*administration & dosage/pharmacology, high- and low-protein diet

Keywords

• Animals
• Rats
• Female
• Pregnancy
• gestation
• meta-analysis
• reproduction
• Animal Feed/analysis
• systematic review
• Reproduction/*drug effects
• Dietary Proteins/*administration & dosage/pharmacology
• high- and low-protein diet