Dietary β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate supplementation influences performance differently after immunization in broiler chickens

ß-Hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate: A feed supplement influencing performance, bone metabolism, intestinal morphology, and muscle quality of laying hens: a preliminary one-point study

Laying hens, selectively bred for high egg production, often suffer from bone fragility and fractures, impacting their welfare and causing economic losses. Additionally, gut health and muscle quality are crucial for overall health and productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of ß-Hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation on performance, bone metabolism, intestinal morphology, and muscle quality in laying hens. Forty-eight Bovans Brown hens were divided into a control group and an HMB-supplemented group (0.02% HMB in diet). The study spanned from the 31st to the 60th wk of age. Assessments included bone mechanical testing, serum hormonal analysis, histological analysis of bone and intestine, and muscle quality analysis. The HMB supplementation led to decreased feed intake without affecting body weight or laying rate in laying hens. It caused an increase in both mean daily and total egg weight, indicating improved feed utilization, without influencing the feed intake to egg weight ratio. Enhanced bone formation markers and altered intestinal morphometric parameters were observed, along with improved trabecular bone structure. However, no changes in measured other bone quality indices, including geometric, densitometric, or mechanical properties were observed. Muscle analysis revealed no significant changes in overall meat quality, except for a decrease in cholesterol content and alterations in the fatty acid profile, notably a reduction in total n-3 polyunsaturated and total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). In conclusion, although not all effects of HMB supplementation were unequivocally beneficial, the positive changes in performance data and trabecular bone microarchitecture support further research into various doses and durations of supplementation. Such studies are necessary to fully understand and optimize the benefits of HMB for enhancing the health and productivity of laying hens.

Beta-hydroxy-β-methyl butyrate-supplemented diet for broiler chickens is more conducive to dietary protein reduction than a leucine-supplemented diet until 21 days old

BACKGROUND

Dietary l-leucine or its metabolite 𝛽-hydroxy-𝛽-methylbutyrate (HMB) has a crucial role in the muscle protein metabolism of broilers during the first few-week growing period. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of l-leucine (LLPD) or HMB (HLPD) supplementation in a low-protein diet (20%, LPD) until 21 days old on performance, carcass weight, muscle yield and meat quality, as well as intestinal morphometry, in broiler chickens.

RESULTS

From days 1-42, LPD decreased body weight gain and feed intake (FI) and increased feed conversion ratio compared to a standard protein diet (22%, SPD). The LLPD and HLPD did not affect FI, but the LLPD decreased the body weight gain and increased the feed conversion ratio compared to the SPD. The LPD group had lower body and muscle weights than other groups. Compared to LPD, HLPD increased dressing percentage. The LPD decreased the serum insulin-like growth factor-1 content compared to the SPD and LLPD. The duodenal villus height of the LPD and LLPD broilers was smaller than those of the SPD and HLPD birds. The HLPD broilers had lower duodenal villus width than the SPD birds. The duodenal crypt depth and ileal mucosal thickness were higher in the HLPD group than in other groups. The HLPD and LLPD enhanced the ileal villus height compared to the SPD. The LLPD and HLPD treatments did not affect meat quality traits compared to the SPD treatment.

CONCLUSION

Dietary HMB could be a conducive approach to reducing dietary protein for broilers until 21 days old. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Yolk Fatty Acid Profile and Amino Acid Composition in Eggs from Hens Supplemented with ß-Hydroxy-ß-Methylbutyrate

In recent years, a supplementation of livestock animals, including poultry, with β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) has gained attention for its effects on protein and fat metabolism. This study investigates the effects of HMB in the laying hen diet on egg quality, focusing on amino acid and fatty acid composition. Laying hens were supplemented with 0.02% HMB, with performance parameters and egg components analyzed. HMB supplementation led to increased albumen weight, influencing egg weight while also reducing feed intake per egg without affecting laying rate, yolk indices, fat, or cholesterol content. Notably, the study revealed significant changes in egg amino acid and fatty acid profiles due to HMB supplementation. Various amino acids, including glycine, serine, and isoleucine, were altered in the yolk, impacting nutritional value and potential health benefits. Regarding fatty acids, the study observed changes in both saturated as well as n-6 and n-3 fatty acids, affecting the overall lipid profile of egg yolks. However, the shifts in fatty acid composition could have implications for cardiovascular health due to altered ratios of n-6/n-3 fatty acids. Further research is required to comprehensively understand the implications of these findings for consumer-oriented egg quality and health benefits.

Effect of in ovo feeding of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate on hatchability, muscle growth and performance in prenatal and posthatch broilers

BACKGROUND

β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) is the metabolite of leucine that plays an important role in muscle protein metabolism. The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of in ovo feeding (IOF) of HMB at 7 days of incubation (DOI) via air cell or 18 DOI via amnion on hatchability, muscle growth and performance in prenatal and posthatch broilers.

RESULTS

IOF of HMB via air cell at 7 DOI increased hatchability by 4.34% compared with the control (89.67% versus 85.33%). Birds in IOF groups exhibited higher body weight, average daily body weight gain and pectoral muscle percentage. Furthermore, IOF of HMB significantly increased the level of plasma growth hormone, insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1. Chicks hatched from IOF treatment had larger diameters of muscle fiber and higher mitotic activity of satellite cells at early posthatch age. IOF of HMB activated satellite cells by upregulation of mRNA expression of myogenic transcription factors, myogenic differentiation one (MyoD) and myogenin. Chicks hatched from air cell injection group had higher pectoral muscle percentage at 5 d posthatch and greater satellite cell mitotic activity at 7 d posthatch than counterparts from amnion injection group.

CONCLUSIONS

IOF of HMB via amnion at 18 DOI or especially via air cell at 7 DOI could be used as an effective approach to enhance hatchability, productive performance and breast muscle yield in broilers. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of amino acid derivatives on physical, mental, and physiological activities

Nutritional ergogenic aids have been in use for a long time to enhance exercise and sports performance. Dietary components that exhibit ergogenic activity are numerous and their consumption is common and popular among athletes. They often come under scrutiny by legal authorities for their claimed benefits and safety concerns. Amino acid derivatives are propagated as being effective aids to enhance physical and mental performance in many ways, even though studies have pointed out that individuals who are deficient are more likely to benefit from dietary supplementation of amino acid derivatives than normal humans. In this review, some of the most common and widely used amino acids derivatives in sports and athletics namely creatine, tyrosine, carnitine, HMB, and taurine have been discussed for their effects on exercise performance, mental activity as well as body strength and composition. Creatine, carnitine, HMB, and taurine are reported to delay the onset of fatigue, improve exercise performance, and body strength. HMB helps in increasing fat-free mass and reduce exercise induced muscle injury. Taurine has been found to reduce oxidative stress during exercise and also act as an antihypertensive agent. Although, studies have not been able to find any favorable effect of tyrosine administration on exercise performance, it has been proved to be very effective in fighting stress, improving mood and cognitive performance particularly in sleep-deprived subjects. While available data from published studies and findings are equivocal about the efficacy of creatine, tyrosine, and HMB, more comprehensive researches on carnitine and taurine are necessary to provide evidence for the theoretical basis of their ergogenic role in nutritional modification and supplementation.

Immune Function and Muscle Adaptations to Resistance exercise in Older Adults: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Nutritional Supplement

BACKGROUND

Immune function may influence the ability of older adults to maintain or improve muscle mass, strength, and function during aging. Thus, nutritional supplementation that supports the immune system could complement resistance exercise as an intervention for age-associated muscle loss. The current study will determine the relationship between immune function and exercise training outcomes for older adults who consume a nutritional supplement or placebo during resistance training and post-training follow-up. The supplement was chosen due to evidence suggesting its ingredients [arginine (Arg), glutamine (Gln), and β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate (HMB)] can improve immune function, promote muscle growth, and counteract muscle loss.

METHODS/DESIGN

Veterans (age 60 to 80 yrs, N = 50) of the United States military will participate in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of consumption of a nutritional supplement or placebo during completion of three study objectives: 1) determine if 2 weeks of supplementation improve immune function measured as the response to vaccination and systemic and cellular responses to acute resistance exercise; 2) determine if supplementation during 36 sessions of resistance training boosts gains in muscle size, strength, and function; and 3) determine if continued supplementation for 26 weeks post-training promotes retention of training-induced gains in muscle size, strength, and function. Analyses of the results for these objectives will determine the relationship between immune function and the training outcomes. Participants will undergo nine blood draws and five muscle (vastus lateralis) biopsies so that the effects of the supplement on immune function and the systemic and cellular responses to exercise can be measured.

DISCUSSION

Exercise has known effects on immune function. However, the study will attempt to modulate immune function using a nutritional supplement and determine the effects on training outcomes. The study will also examine post-training benefit retention, an important issue for older adults, usually omitted from exercise studies. The study will potentially advance our understanding of the mechanisms of muscle gain and loss in older adults, but more importantly, a nutritional intervention will be evaluated as a complement to exercise for supporting muscle health during aging.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02261961, registration date 10 June 2014, recruitment active.

Dietary fatty acids and immune response to food-borne bacterial infections

Functional innate and acquired immune responses are required to protect the host from pathogenic bacterial infections. Modulation of host immune functions may have beneficial or deleterious effects on disease outcome. Different types of dietary fatty acids have been shown to have variable effects on bacterial clearance and disease outcome through suppression or activation of immune responses. Therefore, we have chosen to review research across experimental models and food sources on the effects of commonly consumed fatty acids on the most common food-borne pathogens, including Salmonella sp., Campylobacter sp., Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Shigella sp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus. Altogether, the compilation of literature suggests that no single fatty acid is an answer for protection from all food-borne pathogens, and further research is necessary to determine the best approach to improve disease outcomes.

Effects of dietary supplementation of methionine and its hydroxy analog DL-2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid on growth performance, plasma hormone levels, and the redox status of broiler chickens exposed to high temperatures

Heat stress is known to impair performance and to induce oxidative stress in poultry. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of dietary supplementation of dl-methionine (dl-M) or the synthetic analog 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid (dl-HMTBA) on broiler growth performance, plasma hormone levels, and some oxidative stress-related parameters under conditions of chronic exposure to high temperatures (HT). From 2 to 6 wk of age, male broiler chickens were reared under either a constant temperature of 32°C until 6 wk of age or a normal temperature scheme (gradual decrease to 18°C at 5 wk of age). Chicks in both the normal and HT treatments were provided with a commercial grower diet supplemented with either 1.0 or 1.2 g/kg of dl-M or 1.0 or 1.2 g/kg of dl-HMTBA. Because there were no effects of supplement dose, data were pooled over both doses within each temperature treatment. The chronic HT treatment impaired feed intake and BW gain, but these negative effects were less pronounced when the chickens received dl-HMTBA. Exposure to HT was also associated with decreased (P < 0.001) plasma thyroid hormones and increased (P < 0.0001) plasma corticosterone levels. At 4 wk of age, and irrespective of the supplemental source, chickens subjected to HT were characterized by significantly lower plasma TBA-reactive substance levels. In contrast, at 6 wk of age, plasma TBA-reactive substance levels were significantly increased by HT, but this effect was observed only for the chickens receiving dl-M and not for those receiving dl-HMTBA. High temperatures induced a significant increase in hepatic total glutathione (GSH) and oxidized GSH levels, regardless of the supplemental source. However, the hepatic ratios of reduced GSH to total GSH and reduced GSH to oxidized GSH were highest in chickens supplemented with dl-HMTBA. In conclusion, dl-HMTBA supplementation partially prevented the growth-depressing effects of chronic heat exposure compared with dl-M supplementation. It can be inferred that dl-HMTBA is more efficient in alleviating HT-induced oxidative damage because of a more favorable reduced GSH-to-total GSH ratio.

Evaluation of dietary stevioside supplementation on anti-human serum albumin immunoglobulin G, Alpha-1-glycoprotein, body weight and thyroid hormones in broiler chickens

Sixty male broiler chickens fed a diet supplemented with 130 mg/kg stevioside (S group) or an unsupplemented diet (C group) from day 1 of age onwards. On day 21 of age, ten birds from either the S (SH) or C (CH) group were injected subcutaneously with 100 μg human serum albumin (HSA) and ten others from either S (SP) or C (CP) group injected with 100 μl phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) in the same way. There were no significant effect of supplementation nor interaction with age on average body weights, T(3) and T(4) concentrations of non-injected chickens. After the primary immunization, α(1) -glycoprotein concentrations increased in all treatment groups except the CP group, and were significantly higher in the CH group in relation to the other groups. Fourteen and 18 days after the primary immunization, HSA injected chickens of both dietary treatments had significantly higher anti-HSA immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels than their PBS injected controls. No effect of stevioside supplementation was observed for IgG level. In conclusion, dietary stevioside inclusion can attenuate the pro-inflammatory response after stimulation of the innate immune response in broiler chickens.