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Higher protein intake increases cardiac function parameters in healthy children: metabolic programming by infant

Rosa Collell1, Ricardo Closa-Monasterolo2,3, Natalia Ferré3

  • 1Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Reus, Spain.

Pediatric Research
|February 17, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Higher protein formula intake in infants is linked to improved cardiac function by age two. This effect may be mediated by changes in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1).

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Infant Development

Background:

  • Limited data exists on how protein intake affects cardiac structure and function in healthy infants.
  • Previous research suggests protein may influence cardiac health in pathological states.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of higher versus lower protein formula on cardiac parameters in infants.
  • To explore the role of the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) axis in mediating these effects.

Main Methods:

  • Secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial comparing higher protein (HP) and lower protein (LP) formula-fed infants with breastfed (BF) infants.
  • Assessment of growth, dietary intake, IGF-1 parameters (at 6 months), and cardiac mass/function (at 2 years via echocardiography).

Main Results:

  • Infants receiving higher protein formula exhibited higher BMI z-scores at 2 years.
  • Cardiac function parameters were elevated in the HP group compared to the LP group, correlating with early protein intake.
  • Increased free IGF-1 levels were observed in the HP group at 6 months.

Conclusions:

  • Moderate protein intake in the first year of life is associated with enhanced cardiac function by age two.
  • Modifications in the IGF-1 axis appear to be a potential mechanism underlying these observed cardiac effects.
Abstract

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