title: Dietary arginine and linear growth: the Copenhagen School Child Intervention Study.
abstract: The amino acid arginine is a well-known growth hormone (GH) stimulator and GH is an important modulator of linear growth. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary arginine on growth velocity in children between 7 and 13 years of age. Data from the Copenhagen School Child Intervention Study during 2001-2 (baseline), and at 3-year and 7-year follow-up, were used. Arginine intake was estimated via a 7 d precoded food diary at baseline and 3-year follow-up. Data were analysed in a multilevel structure in which children were embedded within schools. Random intercept and slopes were defined to estimate the association between arginine intake and growth velocity, including the following covariates: sex; age; baseline height; energy intake; puberty stage at 7-year follow-up and intervention/control group. The association between arginine intake and growth velocity was significant for the third and fourth quintile of arginine intake (2.5-2.8 and 2.8-3.2 g/d, respectively) compared with the first quintile ( < 2.2 g/d) (P for trend = 0.04). Protein intake (excluding arginine) was significantly associated with growth velocity; however, the association was weaker than the association between arginine intake and growth velocity (P for trend = 0.14). The results of the present study suggest a dose-dependent physiological role of habitual protein intake, and specifically arginine intake, on linear growth in normally growing children. However, since the study was designed in healthy children, we cannot firmly conclude whether arginine supplementation represents a relevant clinical strategy. Further research is needed to investigate whether dietary arginine may represent a nutritional strategy potentially advantageous for the prevention and treatment of short stature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. a.vanvught@han.nl
authors.forename: Anneke J A H
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van Vught
authors.forename: Pieter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Dagnelie
authors.forename: Ilja C W
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Arts
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Froberg
authors.forename: Lars B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: El-Naaman
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bugge
authors.forename: Birgit M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Berit L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Heitman
mesh_terms: D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003718:Denmark; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011627:Puberty; D012572:School Health Services
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D001120:Arginine