Alleviation of body weight loss by dietary methionine is independent of insulin-like growth factor-I in protein-starved young chickens

It is well known that in protein-starved chickens, small amounts of amino acid supplement, especially methionine, reduces nitrogen excretion and thereby improves nitrogen balance. On the other hand, excess intake of methionine causes growth depression and the growth-depressive effect of excess methionine can be alleviated by consumption of dietary glycine. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is one of various growth-promoting factors relating to the efficiency of animal production and is known to be very sensitive to changes in nutritional status. In the present study, the interactive effect of glycine on nitrogen sparing effect of methionine in protein-starved chickens was examined. In addition, the relation of IGF-I and its specific binding protein to the nitrogen sparing effect of supplemented methionine was also investigated. Two-days refeeding of methionine supplemented to protein-free diet could promptly alleviate body weight loss in protein-starved chickens, and the alleviation of body weight loss by methionine was not improved by glycine supplements. Moreover, such acute alleviation of body weight loss by dietary methionine was independent of the change in plasma IGF-I concentration.