scholarly journals L-Citrulline: A Non-Essential Amino Acid with Important Roles in Human Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 3293
Author(s):  
Encarna Aguayo ◽  
Ascensión Martínez-Sánchez ◽  
Bárbara Fernández-Lobato ◽  
Fernando Alacid

L-Arginine (Arg) has been widely used due to its functional properties as a substrate for nitric oxide (NO) generation. However, L-citrulline (CIT), whose main natural source is watermelon, is a non-essential amino acid but which has important health potential. This review provides a comprehensive approach to different studies of the endogenous synthesis of CIT, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics as well as its ergogenic effect in exercise performance. The novel aspect of this paper focuses on the different effects of CIT, citrulline malate and CIT from natural sources such as watermelon on several topics, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, erectile dysfunction, cancer, and exercise performance. CIT from watermelon could be a natural food-sourced substitute for pharmacological products and therefore the consumption of this fruit is promoted.

1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 299-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilles Fromentin ◽  
Dorothy W. Gietzen ◽  
Stylianos Nicolaidis

The purpose of the present experiments was to extend previous data on the strategy used by adult rats to select feed appropriately when faced with diets devoid of protein or an essential amino acid (EAA), and to compare this strategy with that used when facing vitamin (thiamin) deficiency. Rats fed on either balanced or deficient (EAA or protein) diets were offered a choice between a novel deficient and a familiar (deficient or corrected) diet and their choice was monitored. It was shown that protein- and EAA-deficient rats acquired an aversion for their corresponding familiar devoid diet, which by itself promoted a neophilia for the novel diet. This neophilia was not non-specific because protein-deficient rats facing a choice between a protein-devoid and an EAA-devoid diet did exhibit neophilia but only in the short term (less than 5h), and then switched to a preference for the familiar protein-devoid diet. These results show that, in contrast to the case of vitamin deficiency, the protein- or EAA-devoid diet-induced neophilia can be rapidly reversed if the novel feed happens to be more deleterious than the familiar, inappropriate one. This behaviour suggests the existence of sensitive mechanisms able to reveal within a short time the EAA inadequacy of the ingested feed and to adapt the choice for the most appropriate feeds more promptly than in the face of thiamin deficiency. Thus it appears that balancing EAA is more urgent than balancing thiamin.


Author(s):  
Florian Javelle ◽  
Descartes Li ◽  
Philipp Zimmer ◽  
Sheri L. Johnson

Abstract. Emotion-related impulsivity, defined as the tendency to say or do things that one later regret during periods of heightened emotion, has been tied to a broad range of psychopathologies. Previous work has suggested that emotion-related impulsivity is tied to an impaired function of the serotonergic system. Central serotonin synthesis relies on the intake of the essential amino acid, tryptophan and its ability to pass through the blood brain barrier. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the association between emotion-related impulsivity and tryptophan intake. Methods: Undergraduate participants (N = 25, 16 women, 9 men) completed a self-rated measure of impulsivity (Three Factor Impulsivity Index, TFI) and daily logs of their food intake and exercise. These data were coded using the software NutriNote to evaluate intakes of tryptophan, large neutral amino acids, vitamins B6/B12, and exercise. Results: Correlational analyses indicated that higher tryptophan intake was associated with significantly lower scores on two out of three subscales of the TFI, Pervasive Influence of Feelings scores r =  –.502, p < . 010, and (lack-of) Follow-Through scores, r =  –.407, p < . 050. Conclusion: Findings provide further evidence that emotion-related impulsivity is correlated to serotonergic indices, even when considering only food habits. It also suggests the need for more research on whether tryptophan supplements might be beneficial for impulsive persons suffering from a psychological disorder.


2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Juan WEN ◽  
Jian-Feng XU ◽  
Yan LONG ◽  
Hai-Ming XU ◽  
Jin-Ling MENG ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 76-76
Author(s):  
Ron Ball ◽  
Crystal L Levesque ◽  
D J Cadogan

Abstract Most sows are fed a constant energy and amino acid supply throughout gestation, in line with the recommendations of most authorities and swine genetic companies. These recommendations for sow feeding have seen little change in decades, despite the many ways that sows have changed dramatically in reproductive performance. Beginning in about the year 2000, sow litter size has steadily increased as a result of genetic selection. With this increase in litter number has been a steady decline in birth weight, and the resulting negative effects of lower birthweight on subsequent piglet performance. Many experiments using so-called ‘bump’ feeding, or increased energy intake in late gestation, have been conducted in attempts to arrest this decline in birthweight and piglet performance. Generally, these experiments have shown little to no improvement in birthweight and often have negative effects on sow feed intake during gestation. These experiments have ignored the fact that the energy:amino acid ratios (lysine, threonine, isoleucine, tryptophan) in late gestation are different than during early and mid-gestation. In recent research in Australia we hypothesised that rapidly increasing essential amino acid levels in late gestation would increase birth weight and potentially improve subsequent reproductive performance. Three hundred and thirty-four multiparous PIC sows (average parity 3.6, average LW 261 kg) were housed in a dynamic gestation pen after mating and randomly assigned to one of two diet regimes. Two 13.5 MJ/kg DE gestation diets were formulated and created by blending in an ESF. The Control diet contained 0.48 g SID lysine per MJ DE and SID threonine, methionine+ cysteine, isoleucine and tryptophan at 68%, 65%, 58% and18% of SID lysine and offered at 2.2kg/day from d 28 to d 110. Sow were then moved to the farrowing house and placed on a lactation diet at 3.5kg/d. The Treatment diet contained 0.55 g SID lysine/MJ DE and SID threonine, methionine+cysteine, isoleucine and tryptophan at 78%, 65%, 60% and 20% of SID lysine and offered at 2.1kg/d from d 28 to d 85 and then increased to 2.4 kg/d to d 110 d. Increasing essential amino acid levels in late gestation increased gestational weight gain (5.6 kg, P=0.004), increased total litter birth weight (1.25 kg, P=0.003), and increased the birthweight of liveborn pigs from 1.286 to 1.329 kg, (P=0.04). There was no significant effect on the total number born or born alive. Piglet performance is not available because this commercial farm practices cross-fostering. Effects of continuation of this feeding regime in the same sows during subsequent parities is currently being evaluated.


1994 ◽  
Vol 269 (51) ◽  
pp. 32667-32671
Author(s):  
Y. Wakabayashi ◽  
E. Yamada ◽  
T. Yoshida ◽  
H. Takahashi

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1896
Author(s):  
Tatsuki Kimizuka ◽  
Natsumi Seki ◽  
Genki Yamaguchi ◽  
Masahiro Akiyama ◽  
Seiichiro Higashi ◽  
...  

Infectious diarrhea is one of the most important health problems worldwide. Although nutritional status influences the clinical manifestation of various enteric pathogen infections, the effect of diet on enteric infectious diseases remains unclear. Using a fatal infectious diarrheal model, we found that an amino acid-based diet (AD) protected susceptible mice infected with the enteric pathogen Citrobacter rodentium. While the mice fed other diets, including a regular diet, were highly susceptible to C. rodentium infection, AD-fed mice had an increased survival rate. An AD did not suppress C. rodentium colonization or intestinal damage; instead, it prevented diarrhea-induced dehydration by increasing water intake. An AD altered the plasma and fecal amino acid levels and changed the gut microbiota composition. Treatment with glutamate, whose level was increased in the plasma and feces of AD-fed mice, promoted water intake and improved the survival of C. rodentium-infected mice. Thus, an AD changes the systemic amino acid balance and protects against lethal infectious diarrhea by maintaining total body water content.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1469
Author(s):  
Patricia M. Rusu ◽  
Andrea Y. Chan ◽  
Mathias Heikenwalder ◽  
Oliver J. Müller ◽  
Adam J. Rose

Prior studies have reported that dietary protein dilution (DPD) or amino acid dilution promotes heightened water intake (i.e., hyperdipsia) however, the exact dietary requirements and the mechanism responsible for this effect are still unknown. Here, we show that dietary amino acid (AA) restriction is sufficient and required to drive hyperdipsia during DPD. Our studies demonstrate that particularly dietary essential AA (EAA) restriction, but not non-EAA, is responsible for the hyperdipsic effect of total dietary AA restriction (DAR). Additionally, by using diets with varying amounts of individual EAA under constant total AA supply, we demonstrate that restriction of threonine (Thr) or tryptophan (Trp) is mandatory and sufficient for the effects of DAR on hyperdipsia and that liver-derived fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is required for this hyperdipsic effect. Strikingly, artificially introducing Thr de novo biosynthesis in hepatocytes reversed hyperdipsia during DAR. In summary, our results show that the DPD effects on hyperdipsia are induced by the deprivation of Thr and Trp, and in turn, via liver/hepatocyte-derived FGF21.


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