The Association of Maternal Protein Intake during Pregnancy in Humans with Maternal and Offspring Insulin Sensitivity Measures

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ABSTRACT

The purpose of this review is to critically evaluate the studies assessing the relations between protein intake during human pregnancy and insulin sensitivity measures in the mother and offspring, and to get a better understanding of the knowledge gaps that still exist. Overall, there is insufficient evidence to conclude about implications of higher amounts of protein intake during pregnancy on maternal or offspring insulin sensitivity. However, studies show a relation between protein quality and insulin sensitivity, such that animal protein may be associated with negative outcomes and plant protein may be associated with positive insulin sensitivity outcomes. There is an urgent need for standardized studies using comparable terminology to evaluate any potential relations between insulin sensitivity in mothers and offspring and truly low and high maternal protein intake while maintaining eucaloric balance to better inform about optimal protein dosage and quality during this period.

Keywords:

protein
pregnancy
insulin sensitivity
obesity
insulin resistance
maternal
offspring
gestational diabetes mellitus
diabetes

Abbreviations used:

AGE
advanced glycation end-product
BCAA
branched-chain amino acid
EAR
estimated average requirement
FFM
fat-free mass
GDM
gestational diabetes mellitus
GLUT-4
glucose transporter type 4
OGTT
oral-glucose-tolerance test
TEI
total energy intake
T2DM
type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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Supported by USDA Agricultural Research Service Project 6026-51000-010-05S, NIH/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases grant R01 DK107516, NIH/National Institute of General Medical Sciences grant 1P20GM109096-01A1 (to AA and EB), and NIH/National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences grant 1U54TR001629-01A1 (to EB).

Author disclosures: BRA, AA, and EB, no conflicts of interest.