VOLUNTARY ORAL INGESTION OF GELATIN FOR BETA-ALANINE ADMINISTRATION IN SPRAGUE-DAWLEY SUBMITTED TO METABOLIC SYNDROME

• Grant number: 24/07927-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2024
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Ana Carolina Magalhães
• Grantee: Gabriel Sousa Toledo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a pathological condition with a high potential to predispose an individual to cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes mellitus, highlighting the importance of studies examining potential treatments for MS. Among these, the use of beta-alanine stands out as a promising supplement capable of mitigating the physiological damage caused by MS. Some research employs rats as an animal model, and to administer a particular substance to them, the most traditional technique is gavage, a process of forced oral ingestion that can cause stress in the animals. Such disturbance leads to various alterations in the rats' metabolism capable of adulterating experimental results, thus prompting the need for a substitute method for gavage. In this context, the voluntary ingestion of gelatin as a vehicle for beta-alanine emerges as a possible alternative to reduce animal stress. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of replacing the gavage method (forced oral ingestion) with the voluntary consumption of gelatin containing beta-alanine in Sprague-Dawley rats (300-400g) subjected to metabolic syndrome. Sixteen male Sprague-Dawley rats will be used, with 4 on a standard diet (CO), 4 on a standard diet with beta-alanine (CO+BA), 4 on a high-fat diet with MS (MS), and 4 on a high-fat diet with beta-alanine and MS (MS+BA). The protocol will last for 10 weeks, with ad libitum access to food and water. From week 4 onwards, the CO+BA and MS+BA groups will receive a dose of 250 mg/kg/day of beta-alanine and SM in the form of gelatin or gavage, while the CO group will receive a placebo. Blood concentrations of triglycerides, insulin, total cholesterol, cortisol, and beta-alanine will be monitored at the end of the study. The data will be submitted to statistical analysis (p<0.05).