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Effects of dietary nucleotide supplementation on growth in infants: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

European Journal of Nutrition volume 58, pages 1213–1221 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

Dietary nucleotides are thought to be conditionally essential nutrients in infancy. However, studies have reported inconsistent findings regarding the association between nucleotide supplementation and infant physical growth. We conducted this meta-analysis to examine the efficacy of nucleotide supplementation of infant formula in promoting early infant growth.

Methods

Randomized controlled trials that evaluated the association between nucleotide supplementation and infant growth through June 2017 were included. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s Risk of Bias tool. Standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Heterogeneity was assessed using Q and I2 tests.

Results

Nucleotide supplementation significantly increased the rate of weight gain (SMD 0.26; 95% CI 0.06–0.47), but had no effect on weight (SMD − 0.16; 95% CI − 0.55–0.23), weight Z score (SMD, − 0.42; 95% CI − 1.64–0.81), length (SMD 0.01; 95% CI − 0.18–0.21) and length Z score (SMD 0.15; 95% CI − 0.10–0.40). Occipitofrontal head circumference (OFC) at 7–8 weeks (SMD 0.30; 95% CI 0.10–0.50) and the rate of OFC gain (SMD 0.34; 95% CI 0.09–0.58) were significantly improved with nucleotide supplementation, whereas, 16- and 20-week OFC values did not differ.

Conclusions

Our meta-analysis indicated that nucleotide supplementation can increase the rate of weight gain, OFC and rate of OFC gain; however, we cannot conclude that it affects weight, weight Z score, length or length Z score. Large-scale randomized controlled trials of long-term nucleotide supplementation are needed to reach definitive conclusions.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant Number 31101720] and the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863 Program) [Grant Number 2015AA021002].

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Affiliations

  1. Institute of Nutrition and Healthy Food, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China

    Lanfang Wang, Shu Mu, Xiaoyan Xu & Zhexi Shi

  2. Department of Pathogen Biology, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China

    Li Shen

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  1. Lanfang Wang
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  2. Shu Mu
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Correspondence to Lanfang Wang.

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Cite this article

Wang, L., Mu, S., Xu, X. et al. Effects of dietary nucleotide supplementation on growth in infants: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Nutr 58, 1213–1221 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-018-1640-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-018-1640-2

Keywords

  • Nucleotides
  • Meta-analysis
  • Growth
  • Infant formula