Increased intestinal amino-acid retention from the addition of carbohydrates to a meal

Abstract

Carbohydrates, added to a protein meal, are known to enhance the efficiency of dietary protein utilisation. However, the respective roles of the gut and liver in relation to this enhanced efficiency are not known. Therefore, we studied amino-acid, ammonia, urea, glucose and lactate fluxes for 6 h across the portal drained viscera and liver in conscious, multi-catheterised pigs of approximately 25 kg body weight after receiving a protein meal with added carbohydrates, a pure protein meal or a control meal. Additional carbohydrate caused a net glucose efflux in the portal drained viscera and increased arterial blood insulin levels. The appearance of amino-acids in the portal blood declined by some 30%, in spite of the dietary true amino-acid digestibility being approximately 95%. Liver uptake of most amino-acids was lower and there was a lower liver urea production. Finally, there was a smaller postprandial increase in the arterial blood concentration for most of the amino-acids. The results of this study suggest that inclusion of maltodextrin in the diet increases the net retention of meal-derived amino-acids in the portal drained viscera. The lower urea production and liver amino-acid uptake suggest a lower nitrogen loss. The gut could be an important site for nitrogen retention induced by the addition of carbohydrates to a protein meal.