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de Guingand DL, Palmer KR, Callahan DL, Snow RJ, Davies-Tuck ML, Ellery SJ. Creatine and pregnancy outcomes: a prospective cohort study of creatine metabolism in low-risk pregnant females. Am J Clin Nutr 2024; 119:838-849. [PMID: 38432717 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Physiological adaptations during pregnancy alter nutrient and energy metabolism. Creatine may be important for maintaining cellular energy homeostasis throughout pregnancy. However, the impact of pregnancy on endogenous and exogenous creatine availability has never been comprehensively explored. OBJECTIVES To undertake a prospective cohort study and determine the physiological ranges of creatine and associated metabolites throughout human pregnancy. METHODS Females with a singleton low-risk pregnancy were recruited at an Australian health service. Maternal blood and urine were collected at 5-time points from 10-36 weeks of gestation, and cord blood and placental samples were collected at birth. Creatine and associated amino acids and metabolites of creatine synthesis were analyzed. Dietary data were captured to determine effects of exogenous creatine intake. Associations between creatine metabolism and neonatal growth parameters were examined. RESULTS Two hundred and eighty-two females were included. Maternal plasma creatine remained stable throughout pregnancy [β: -0.003 μM; 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.07, 0.07; P = 0.94], though urinary creatine declined in late gestation (β: 0.38 μM/mmol/L creatinine (CRN); 95% CI: -0.47, -0.29; P < 0.0001). Plasma guanidinoacetate (GAA; the precursor to creatine during endogenous synthesis) fell from 10-29 weeks of gestation before rising until birth (β: -0.38 μM/mmol/L CRN; 95% CI: -0.47, -0.29; P < 0.0001). Urinary GAA followed an opposing pattern (β: 2.52 μM/mmol/L CRN; 95% CI: 1.47, 3.58, P < 0.001). Animal protein intake was positively correlated with maternal plasma creatine until ∼32 weeks of gestation (β: 0.07-0.18 μM; 95% CI: 0.006, 0.25; P ≤ 0.001). There were no links between creatine and neonatal growth, but increased urinary GAA in early pregnancy was associated with a slight reduction in head circumference at birth (β: -0.01 cm; 95% CI: -0.02, -0.004; P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS Although maternal plasma creatine concentrations were highly conserved, creatine metabolism appears to adjust throughout pregnancy. An ability to maintain creatine concentrations through diet and shifts in endogenous synthesis may impact fetal growth. This trial was registered at [registry name] as ACTRN12618001558213.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah L de Guingand
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kirsten R Palmer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; Monash Women and Newborn, Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Damien L Callahan
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rod J Snow
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Miranda L Davies-Tuck
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Stacey J Ellery
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
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Mihatsch WA, Stahl B, Braun U. The Umbilical Cord Creatine Flux and Time Course of Human Milk Creatine across Lactation. Nutrients 2024; 16:345. [PMID: 38337631 PMCID: PMC10857059 DOI: 10.3390/nu16030345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: The aim of the present paper was to study fetal and infant creatine (Cr) supply to improve nutrition and neuroprotection in term and especially in preterm infants. The primary outcomes were the placental Cr flux at the end of pregnancy and the time course of human milk (HM) Cr. (2) Methods: The estimation of placental Cr flux was based on umbilical arterial and venous cord blood Cr in 10 term infants after elective caesarian section. HM Cr, creatinine (Crn), and macronutrients were measured longitudinally in 10 mothers across the first 6 months of breastfeeding. (3) Results: At the end of pregnancy, the mean fetal Cr flux was negative (-2.07 mmol/min). HM Cr was highest in colostrum, decreased significantly within the first 2 weeks of breastfeeding (p < 0.05), and did not change significantly thereafter. HM Cr was not correlated with HM Crn or macronutrient composition. (4) Conclusions: The present data suggest that fetal endogenous Cr synthesis covers the needs at the end of pregnancy. However, high colostrum Cr and HM Cr levels, independent of macronutrient composition, suggest that there may be a critical Cr demand immediately after birth that needs to be covered by enteral supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter Alexander Mihatsch
- Department of Pediatrics, Ulm University, 89075 Ulm, Germany
- Department of Health Management, Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences, 89231 Neu-Ulm, Germany
| | - Bernd Stahl
- Danone Nutricia Research, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands;
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ulrike Braun
- Alzchem Trostberg GmbH, 83308 Trostberg, Germany;
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Tran NT, Muccini AM, Hale N, Tolcos M, Snow RJ, Walker DW, Ellery SJ. Creatine in the fetal brain: A regional investigation of acute global hypoxia and creatine supplementation in a translational fetal sheep model. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1154772. [PMID: 37066075 PMCID: PMC10097948 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1154772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Creatine supplementation during pregnancy is a promising prophylactic treatment for perinatal hypoxic brain injury. Previously, in near-term sheep we have shown that fetal creatine supplementation reduces cerebral metabolic and oxidative stress induced by acute global hypoxia. This study investigated the effects of acute hypoxia with or without fetal creatine supplementation on neuropathology in multiple brain regions. Methods Near-term fetal sheep were administered continuous intravenous infusion of either creatine (6 mg kg-1 h-1) or isovolumetric saline from 122 to 134 days gestational age (dGA; term is approx. 145 dGA). At 131 dGA, global hypoxia was induced by a 10 min umbilical cord occlusion (UCO). Fetuses were then recovered for 72 h at which time (134 dGA) cerebral tissue was collected for either RT-qPCR or immunohistochemistry analyses. Results UCO resulted in mild injury to the cortical gray matter, thalamus and hippocampus, with increased cell death and astrogliosis and downregulation of genes involved in regulating injury responses, vasculature development and mitochondrial integrity. Creatine supplementation reduced astrogliosis within the corpus callosum but did not ameliorate any other gene expression or histopathological changes induced by hypoxia. Of importance, effects of creatine supplementation on gene expression irrespective of hypoxia, including increased expression of anti-apoptotic (BCL-2) and pro-inflammatory (e.g., MPO, TNFa, IL-6, IL-1β) genes, particularly in the gray matter, hippocampus, and striatum were identified. Creatine treatment also effected oligodendrocyte maturation and myelination in white matter regions. Conclusion While supplementation did not rescue mild neuropathology caused by UCO, creatine did result in gene expression changes that may influence in utero cerebral development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nhi T. Tran
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- *Correspondence: Nhi T. Tran,
| | - Anna M. Muccini
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Nadia Hale
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mary Tolcos
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Rod J. Snow
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David W. Walker
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Stacey J. Ellery
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Gouveia HJCB, Manhães-de-Castro R, Lacerda DC, Toscano AE. Creatine supplementation to improve the peripheral and central inflammatory profile in cerebral palsy. Clin Nutr ESPEN 2022; 52:254-256. [PMID: 36513462 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2022.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
This opinion paper presents a brief review on the potential use of Creatine (Cr) to improve the inflammatory profile in individuals with Cerebral Palsy (CP). CP is a condition that causes muscle atrophy followed by reduced strength and altered muscle tone. The prevalence of chronic diseases is higher in people with CP due to this, which are often associated with peripheral inflammation, but there are no studies that have evaluated central inflammation in this condition. Nevertheless, the anti-inflammatory action of Cr has already been observed in different types of studies. Thus, the use of experimental models of CP to evaluate the expression of the inflammatory markers, especially in the brain, as well as approaches to reduce the impairments already observed becomes essential. Results obtained in these preclinical studies may contribute to the quality of therapeutic strategies offered to children suffering from CP, the most common cause of chronic motor disability in childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique J C B Gouveia
- Postgraduate Program in Nutrition, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil; Studies in Nutrition and Phenotypic Plasticity Unit, Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Raul Manhães-de-Castro
- Postgraduate Program in Nutrition, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil; Studies in Nutrition and Phenotypic Plasticity Unit, Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Diego Cabral Lacerda
- Studies in Nutrition and Phenotypic Plasticity Unit, Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Ana Elisa Toscano
- Postgraduate Program in Nutrition, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil; Studies in Nutrition and Phenotypic Plasticity Unit, Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil; Department of Nursing, CAV, Federal University of Pernambuco, Vitória de Santo Antão, Pernambuco, Brazil.
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Heland S, Fields N, Ellery SJ, Fahey M, Palmer KR. The role of nutrients in human neurodevelopment and their potential to prevent neurodevelopmental adversity. Front Nutr 2022; 9:992120. [PMID: 36483929 PMCID: PMC9722743 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.992120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Nutritional deficits or excesses affect a huge proportion of pregnant women worldwide. Maternal nutrition has a significant influence on the fetal environment and can dramatically impact fetal brain development. This paper reviews current nutritional supplements that can be used to optimise fetal neurodevelopment and prevent neurodevelopmental morbidities, including folate, iodine, vitamin B12, iron, and vitamin D. Interestingly, while correcting nutritional deficits can prevent neurodevelopmental adversity, overcorrecting them can in some cases be detrimental, so care needs to be taken when recommending supplementation in pregnancy. The potential benefits of using nutrition to prevent neurodiversity is shown by promising nutraceuticals, sulforaphane and creatine, both currently under investigation. They have the potential to promote improved neurodevelopmental outcomes through mitigation of pathological processes, including hypoxia, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Neurodevelopment is a complex process and whilst the role of micronutrients and macronutrients on the developing fetal brain is not completely understood, this review highlights the key findings thus far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Heland
- Monash Women’s and Newborn, Monash Health, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Neville Fields
- Monash Women’s and Newborn, Monash Health, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Stacey Joan Ellery
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Michael Fahey
- Paediatric Neurology Unit, Monash Children’s Hospital, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Kirsten Rebecca Palmer
- Monash Women’s and Newborn, Monash Health, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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Davidson JO, Gunn AJ, Dean JM. Back to the beginning: can we stop brain injury before it starts? J Physiol 2022; 600:3013-3014. [PMID: 35652911 PMCID: PMC9328369 DOI: 10.1113/jp283330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Joanne O Davidson
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Alistair J Gunn
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Justin M Dean
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
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Tran NT, Kowalski GM, Muccini AM, Nitsos I, Hale N, Snow RJ, Walker DW, Ellery SJ. Creatine supplementation reduces the cerebral oxidative and metabolic stress responses to acute in utero hypoxia in the late-gestation fetal sheep. J Physiol 2022; 600:3193-3210. [PMID: 35587817 PMCID: PMC9542404 DOI: 10.1113/jp282840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract Prophylactic creatine treatment may reduce hypoxic brain injury due to its ability to sustain intracellular ATP levels thereby reducing oxidative and metabolic stress responses during oxygen deprivation. Using microdialysis, we investigated the real‐time in vivo effects of fetal creatine supplementation on cerebral metabolism following acute in utero hypoxia caused by umbilical cord occlusion (UCO). Fetal sheep (118 days’ gestational age (dGA)) were implanted with an inflatable Silastic cuff around the umbilical cord and a microdialysis probe inserted into the right cerebral hemisphere for interstitial fluid sampling. Creatine (6 mg kg−1 h−1) or saline was continuously infused intravenously from 122 dGA. At 131 dGA, a 10 min UCO was induced. Hourly microdialysis samples were obtained from −24 to 72 h post‐UCO and analysed for percentage change of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and interstitial metabolites (lactate, pyruvate, glutamate, glycerol, glycine). Histochemical markers of protein and lipid oxidation were assessed at post‐mortem 72 h post‐UCO. Prior to UCO, creatine treatment reduced pyruvate and glycerol concentrations in the microdialysate outflow. Creatine treatment reduced interstitial cerebral •OH outflow 0 to 24 h post‐UCO. Fetuses with higher arterial creatine concentrations before UCO presented with reduced levels of hypoxaemia (PO2 and SO2) during UCO which associated with reduced interstitial cerebral pyruvate, lactate and •OH accumulation. No effects of creatine treatment on immunohistochemical markers of oxidative stress were found. In conclusion, fetal creatine treatment decreased cerebral outflow of •OH and was associated with an improvement in cerebral bioenergetics following acute hypoxia.
![]() Key points Fetal hypoxia can cause persistent metabolic and oxidative stress responses that disturb energy homeostasis in the brain. Creatine in its phosphorylated form is an endogenous phosphagen; therefore, supplementation is a proposed prophylactic treatment for fetal hypoxia. Fetal sheep instrumented with a cerebral microdialysis probe were continuously infused with or without creatine‐monohydrate for 10 days before induction of 10 min umbilical cord occlusion (UCO; 131 days’ gestation). Cerebral interstitial fluid was collected up to 72 h following UCO. Prior to UCO, fetal creatine supplementation reduced interstitial cerebral pyruvate and glycerol concentrations. Fetal creatine supplementation reduced cerebral hydroxyl radical efflux up to 24 h post‐UCO. Fetuses with higher arterial creatine concentrations before UCO and reduced levels of systemic hypoxaemia during UCO were associated with reduced cerebral interstitial pyruvate, lactate and •OH following UCO. Creatine supplementation leads to some improvements in cerebral bioenergetics following in utero acute hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nhi Thao Tran
- School of Health & Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Greg M Kowalski
- Institute for Physical Activity & Nutrition, Deakin University, Burwood, School of Exercise & Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Metabolic Research Unit, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anna M Muccini
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Genetic Research Services, University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ilias Nitsos
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nadia Hale
- School of Health & Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rod J Snow
- Institute for Physical Activity & Nutrition, Deakin University, Burwood, School of Exercise & Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - David W Walker
- School of Health & Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stacey J Ellery
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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