Aerobic capacity of rats recovered from fetal malnutrition with a fructose-rich diet

• Published in: Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism Vol. 35; no. 4; p. 490
• Main Authors: Cambri, Lucieli Teresa, Dalia, Rodrigo Augusto, Ribeiro, Carla, Rostom de Mello, Maria Alice
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Canada 01-08-2010
• Subjects: Age Factors; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Body Weight; Diet, Protein-Restricted - adverse effects; Dietary Proteins - blood; Dietary Sucrose - administration & dosage; Disease Models, Animal; Exercise Tolerance; Female; Fetal Nutrition Disorders - diet therapy; Fetal Nutrition Disorders - metabolism; Fetal Nutrition Disorders - physiopathology; Glycogen - metabolism; Kinetics; Lactic Acid - blood; Liver - metabolism; Male; Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Protein-Energy Malnutrition - diet therapy; Protein-Energy Malnutrition - metabolism; Protein-Energy Malnutrition - physiopathology; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Recovery of Function; Serum Albumin - metabolism; Swimming
• ISSN: 1715-5312
• DOI: 10.1139/H10-034

The objective of this study was to analyze the aerobic capacity, through the maximal lactate steady-state (MLSS) protocol, of rats subjected to fetal protein malnutrition and recovered with a fructose-rich diet. Pregnant adult Wistar rats that were fed a balanced (17% protein) diet or a low-protein (6% protein) diet were used. After birth, the offspring were distributed into groups according to diet until 60 days of age: balanced (B), balanced diet during the whole experimental period; balanced-fructose (BF), balanced diet until birth and fructose-rich diet (60% fructose) until 60 days; low protein-balanced (LB), low-protein diet until birth and balanced diet until 60 days; and low protein-fructose (LF), low protein diet until birth and fructose-rich diet until 60 days. It was verified that the fructose-rich diet reduced body growth, mainly in the BF group. There was no difference among the groups in the load corresponding to the MLSS (B, 7.5+/-0.5%; BF, 7.4+/-0.6%; LB, 7.7+/-0.4%; and LF, 7.7+/-0.6% relative to body weight). However, the BF group presented higher blood lactate concentrations (4.8+/-0.9 mmol.L(-1)) at 25 min in the load corresponding to the MLSS (B, 3.2+/-0.9 mmol.L(-1); LB, 3.4+/-0.9 mmol.L(-1); and LF, 3.2+/-1.0 mmol.L(-1)). Taken together, these results indicate that the ability of young rats to perform exercise was not altered by intrauterine malnutrition or a fructose-rich diet, although the high fructose intake after the balanced diet in utero increased blood lactate during swimming exercises in rats.