Polyphenols and IUGR pregnancies: Maternal hydroxytyrosol supplementation improves prenatal and early-postnatal growth and metabolism of the offspring

Abstract

Hydroxytyrosol is a polyphenol with antioxidant, metabolism-regulatory, anti-inflammatory and immuno-modulatory properties. The present study aimed to determine whether supplementing the maternal diet with hydroxytyrosol during pregnancy can improve pre- and early post-natal developmental patterns and metabolic traits of the offspring. Experiment was performed in Iberian sows fed a restricted diet in order to increase the risk of IUGR. Ten sows were treated daily with 1.5 mg of hydroxytyrosol per kg of feed between Day 35 of pregnancy (30% of total gestational period) until delivery whilst 10 animals were left untreated as controls. Number and weight of offspring were assessed at birth, on post-natal Day 15 and at weaning (25 days-old). At weaning, body composition and plasma indexes of glucose and lipids were measured. Treatment with hydroxytyrosol was associated with higher mean birth weight, lower incidence of piglets with low birth weight. Afterwards, during the lactation period, piglets in the treated group showed a higher body-weight than control piglets; such effects were even stronger in the most prolific litters. These results suggest that maternal supplementation with hydroxytyrosol may improve pre- and early post-natal development of offspring in pregnancies at risk of IUGR.

Maternal Supplementation with Polyphenols and Omega-3 Fatty Acids during Pregnancy: Effects on Growth, Metabolism, and Body Composition of the Offspring

“…In fact, mean birth-weight of smallest and largest piglets and the range of within-litter weights were similar between controls and treated litters. The decrease in mean birth-weight found in the present study differs from the results obtained after maternal supplementation with only hydroxytyrosol [ 5 ]. In such study, mean birth-weight was increased whilst the incidence of LBW piglets was decreased.…”

“…Hydroxytyrosol is a polyphenol present in olive leaves and fruits with even higher antioxidant capacity than vitamin E [ 2 ]. Maternal supplementation during pregnancy improves oxidative and metabolic status of IUGR fetuses [ 3 , 4 ] and therefore incidence of LBW neonates and postnatal development of piglets [ 5 , 6 ]. Specifically, hydroxytyrosol diminishes lipid peroxidation and increases the fetal availability of omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3 and n6 PUFAs) [ 4 ].…”

Supplementation of Underfed Twin-Bearing Ewes with Herbal Vitamins C and E: Impacts on Birth Weight, Postnatal Growth, and Pre-Weaning Survival of the Lambs

“…These results highlight the need for further studies on causes and significance of these effects, which are not specific of sheep. In this sense, studies in a different species, the pig, have shown that maternal supplementation with antioxidant compounds (polyphenols in this case), improves antioxidant status of the fetuses [30] and body weight of the neonates [31]. Afterwards, developmental patterns were positively affected by maternal supplementation independently of birth weight since, comparing individuals with similar weight at birth and weaning, piglets from supplemented sows reached higher average daily weight gain and, therefore, higher body weight and corpulence than their control counterparts [32].…”

An overview of the pharmacology of olive oil and its active ingredients

“…In Wistar rats, HT supplementation (7.5 mg·kg −1 , twice a week, for 30 days) induced elevated TAG and lipid concentrations in cardiac muscle (Faine et al, ). Concerning non‐murine models, HT supplementation (1.5‐mg HT·kg −1 ·day −1 ), from Day 35 to delivery, resulted in raised TAG in the offspring of Iberian sows with diet‐induced risk of intrauterine growth restriction, compared to controls (Vazquez‐Gomez et al, ). In humans, the few available studies reported no effects on the lipid profile after HT consumption.…”