Lysine requirements of moderately undernourished school-aged Indian children are reduced by treatment for intestinal parasites as measured by the indicator amino acid oxidation technique

Abstract

Background: Lysine requirements of well-nourished children from developing regions have been found to be similar to those of children from developed regions (33.5 mg · kg -1 · d -1). However, intestinal parasites have been shown to increase lysine requirements in undernourished adults, and it is not known if a similar phenomenon occurs in undernourished children from poor and unsanitary environments. Objective: Our objective was to measure the lysine requirement of moderately undernourished school-aged Indian children by the indicator amino acid oxidation technique before and after successful treatment for intestinal parasites. Methods: Twenty-one undernourished school-aged children (~8 y of age) with z scores between 22 SD and 23 SD for height-for-age or weight-for-age, who tested positive for intestinal parasites, were studied before and after successful antiparasite treatment. Children were fed any 2 of 7 levels of lysine intakes (5, 15, 25, 35, 50, 65, and 80 mg · kg -1 · d -1) in random order. The lysine requirement was determined by applying a 2-phase linear regression crossover analysis on the fractional oxidation rate of the tracer L-[1- 13 C] phenylalanine in response to the graded lysine intakes. Results: The lysine requirement of undernourished children with intestinal parasite infestations was determined to be 42.8 mg · kg -1 · d -1 (95% CI: 32.6, 53.1 mg · kg -1 · d -1), and after successful antiparasitic treatment it was determined to be 35.5mg · kg -1 · d -1 (95% CI: 25.5, 45.5mg · kg -1 · d -1). The resultswere significantly different (P < 0.05), although the 95% CIs overlapped. Conclusions: The lysine requirement in undernourished children is similar to that of well-nourished children, and intestinal parasitic infestation increased the lysine requirement by ~20%.