Perinatal Taurine Supplementation Preserves the Benefits of Dynamic Exercise Training on Cardiovascular and Metabolic Functions and Prevents Organ Damage in Adult Male Exercised Rats.

Taurine supplementation is recommended during perinatal life to provide sufficient taurine for fetuses and newborns. Furthermore, perinatal taurine supplementation affects cardiovascular and metabolic functions in adult life. In adults, taurine supplementation is reported to improve exercise training. The present study explored the effects of perinatal taurine supplementation followed by dynamic exercise training on cardiovascular and metabolic functions in adult male rats. Pregnant Wistar rats were maintained on water containing or lacking 3% taurine from conception to weaning. After weaning, male offspring were fed normal rat chow and water throughout the study. At 4 weeks of age, the taurine-treated and taurine-untreated rats were subjected to either a swimming exercise protocol (10-30 min a day, 5 day a week) for 12 weeks (Ex and TEx) or remained sedentary (C and T). At 16 weeks of age, kidney weight, mean arterial pressure, baroreflex sensitivity, plasma leptin, plasma triglyceride, blood urea nitrogen, plasma creatinine, and SGOT were not significantly different among the four groups. Compared to the control, perinatal taurine supplementation alone did not significantly affect any of the measured cardiovascular and metabolic parameters. Exercise training significantly decreased bodyweight, heart rate, and visceral adipocyte size, irrespective of perinatal taurine supplementation, but increased SGPT and heart weight when compared to the control. However, the effect of exercise on SGPT, but not heart weight, was abolished by perinatal taurine supplementation. These data indicate that perinatal taurine supplementation not only preserves the beneficial effects of dynamic exercise training on cardiovascular and metabolic functions but also prevents exercise-induced organ damage in adult male rats.

Perinatal Taurine Supplementation Prevents Metabolic and Cardiovascular Effects of Maternal Diabetes in Adult Rat Offspring.

This study tests the hypothesis that perinatal taurine supplementation prevents diabetes mellitus and hypertension in adult offspring of maternal diabetic rats. Female Wistar rats were fed normal rat chow and tap water with (Diabetes group) or without diabetic induction by intraperitoneal streptozotocin injection (Control group) before pregnancy. Then, they were supplemented with 3% taurine in water (Control+T and Diabetes+T groups) or water alone from conception to weaning. After weaning, both male and female offspring were fed normal rat chow and tap water throughout the study. Blood chemistry and cardiovascular parameters were studied in 16-week old rats. Body, heart, and kidney weights were not significantly different among the eight groups. Further, lipid profiles except triglyceride were not significantly different among male and female groups, while male Diabetes displayed increased fasting blood glucose, decreased plasma insulin, and increased plasma triglyceride compared to other groups. Compared to Control, mean arterial pressures significantly increased and baroreflex control of heart rate decreased in both male and female Diabetes, while heart rates significantly decreased in male but increased in female Diabetes group. Although perinatal taurine supplementation did not affect any measured parameters in Control groups, it abolished the adverse effects of maternal diabetes on fasting blood glucose, plasma insulin, lipid profiles, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and baroreflex sensitivity in adult male and female offspring. The present study indicates that maternal diabetes mellitus induces metabolic and cardiovascular defects more in male than female adult offspring, and these adverse effects can be prevented by perinatal taurine supplementation.