Small frequent meals per day?

[Guest guest]

These results suggest that in neonates, intermittent bolus feeding enhances

muscle protein synthesis to a greater extent than continuous feeding by

eliciting a pulsatile pattern of amino acid- and insulin-induced translation

initiation.

Intermittent Bolus Feeding Has a Greater Stimulatory Effect on Protein Synthesis

in Skeletal Muscle Than Continuous Feeding in Neonatal Pigs.

J Nutr. 2011 Oct 19. [Epub ahead of print]

Gazzaneo MC, Suryawan A, Orellana RA, Torrazza RM, El-Kadi SW, FA,

Kimball SR, Srivastava N, Nguyen HV, Fiorotto ML, TA.

Abstract

Orogastric tube feeding, using either continuous or intermittent bolus delivery,

is common in infants for whom normal feeding is contraindicated. To compare the

impact of different feeding strategies on muscle protein synthesis, after

withholding food overnight, neonatal pigs received a complete formula orally as

a bolus feed every 4 h or were continuously fed. Protein synthesis rate and

translational mechanisms in skeletal muscle were examined after 0, 24, and 25.5

h. Plasma amino acid and insulin concentrations increased minimally and remained

constant in continuously fed compared to feed-deprived pigs; however, the

pulsatile meal feeding pattern was mimicked in bolus-fed pigs. Muscle protein

synthesis was stimulated by feeding and the greatest response occurred after a

bolus meal. Bolus but not continuous feeds increased polysome aggregation, the

phosphorylation of protein kinase B, tuberous sclerosis complex 2, proline-rich

Akt substrate of 40 kDa, eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 4E binding protein

(4EBP1), and rp S6 kinase and enhanced dissociation of the 4EBP1 · eIF4E complex

and formation of the eIF4E · eIF4G complex compared to feed deprivation (P <

0.05). Activation of insulin receptor substrate-1, regulatory associated protein

of mammalian target of rapamycin, AMP-activated protein kinase, eukaryotic

elongation factor 2, and eIF2á phosphorylation were unaffected by either feeding

modality.

These results suggest that in neonates, intermittent bolus feeding enhances

muscle protein synthesis to a greater extent than continuous feeding by

eliciting a pulsatile pattern of amino acid- and insulin-induced translation

initiation.

================

Carruthers

Wakefield, UK