Dietary Intake and Circulating Amino Acid Concentrations in Relation with Bone Metabolism Markers in Children Following Vegetarian and Omnivorous Diets

Abstract

Scientific studies reported that most vegetarians meet the total protein requirements; however, little is known about their amino acid intakes. We aimed to assess dietary intake and serum amino acid levels in relation to bone metabolism markers in prepubertal children on vegetarian and traditional diets. Data from 51 vegetarian and 25 omnivorous children aged 4–9 years were analyzed. Dietary intake of macro- and micronutrients were assessed using the nutritional program Dieta 5®. Serum amino acid analysis was performed using high-pressure liquid chromatography technique, 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parathormone–electrochemiluminescent immunoassay, and bone metabolism markers, albumin, and prealbumin levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Vegetarian children had a significantly lower intake of protein and amino acids with median differences of about 30–50% compared to omnivores. Concentrations of four amino acids (valine, lysine, leucine, isoleucine) in serum varied significantly by diet groups and were lower by 10–15% in vegetarians than meat-eaters. Vegetarian children also had lower (p < 0.001) serum albumin levels compared to omnivores. Among bone markers, they had higher (p < 0.05) levels of C-terminal telopeptide of collagen type I (CTX-I) than omnivores. Correlation patterns between amino acids and bone metabolism markers differed in the vegetarian and omnivore groups. Out of bone markers, especially osteoprotegerin was positively correlated with several amino acids, such as tryptophan, alanine, aspartate, glutamine, and serine, and ornithine in vegetarians. Vegetarian children consumed apparently sufficient but lower protein and amino acids compared to omnivores. In circulation these differences were less marked than in the diet. Significantly lower amino acid intake and serum levels of valine, lysine, leucine, and isoleucine as well as the observed correlations between serum amino acids and biochemical bone marker levels indicated the relations between diet, protein quality, and bone metabolism.

Probiotic properties and antioxidant activities of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HY7720 and its fermentation characteristics in plant-based materials

“…Furthermore, lysine and methionine are considered to be the major limiting essential amino acids among the nutrients known as being de cient in plant-based diets in general. In addition, it is reported that lysine and methionine intakes account for the largest differences between vegetarians and omnivores, which are about 48% and 43% less in vegetarians, respectively [41]. In this study, the free-lysine contents were increased in the plantbased samples (BR, WR, and SM) after fermentation, unlike methionine.…”

Diet and growth of vegetarian and vegan children

“…20 24 26 More favourable intakes in subjects on plant-based diets were found for fibre, sugar, folate, magnesium and iron. 20 21 26 Reported calcium intakes did not differ 27 29 or were lower 28 in vegetarians compared with omnivores, and were lowest in vegans. 24 26 It must be mentioned that none of these studies was representative of the population at large.…”

“…26 Another Polish working group repeatedly recruited vegetarian and omnivore children attending a mother and child health facility and examined several aspects of metabolic health. [27][28][29][30] The most recent paper described amino acid levels and bone markers in n=51 vegetarian (of whom 9% were vegans) and n=25 omnivorous children aged 4-9 years. Apart from the bone resorption marker CTX-I (C-terminal telopeptide of collagen type I, lower levels among vegetarians), bone markers (parathormone, Insulin-like growth factor 1, osteocalcin and osteoprotegerin) did not differ significantly between the groups.…”

“…Protein intake (12.8% of energy intake) was lower but adequate among vegetarians, and blood concentrations of some amino acids (ie, valine, lysine, leucine and isoleucine) were lower too. 28 An additional study of 53 vegetarian and 53 omnivore pre-pubertal children examined the aforementioned bone markers and additionally bone mineral density in the lumbar spine by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Vegetarian children had a lower percentage of fat mass and leptin concentrations.…”

Plant-Based Diets in Children: Secular Trends, Health Outcomes, and a Roadmap for Urgent Practice Recommendations and Research—A Systematic Review

“…Serum amino acid levels (valine, lysine, leucine, and isoleucine) were lower in Polish vegetarian children compared to OM controls [ 71 ], while branched-chain amino acids (valine, leucine, and isoleucine) were lower in preschool Finish vegan than in omnivores in a study by Hovinen et al 2023 [ 59 ]. However, the health implications of these differences remain unclear.…”