Creatine Pyruvate Enhances Lipolysis and Protein Synthesis in Broiler Chicken

Abstract

To assess the effects of creatine pyruvate (Cr-Pyr) on lipid and protein metabolism in broiler chickens, a total of 400 1-day-old male birds (Aconred) were randomly allocated to four groups, with each group replicating four times and each replicate involving 25 birds. The broilers were provided with a commercial diet supplemented with Cr-Pyr at 0, 1, 5, or 10% of the diet, respectively, for a period of 3 wk ad libitum (from 22 to 42 d). In the present study, body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) of broilers decreased in 10% Cr-Pyr group (P<0.01), whereas the relative leg and pectoral muscle weights were significantly higher than they were in the control group (P<0.05). 5 or 10% Cr-Pyr of diets decreased the abdominal fat rate (AFR, abdominal fat/live weight) of the broilers. The serum or hepatic triglyceride (TG) concentrations were significantly lower in the 5 and 10% groups (P<0.01). In contrast, Cr-Pyr caused a marked increase in the serum non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and creatine kinase (CK) concentrations (P<0.01). Supplementation with Cr-Pyr (5 and 10%) in the diet also increased glucagons (GLU), insulin (INS) or leptin (LEP) contents (P<0.01). The expression of hepatic peroxisomal proliferators-activated receptor a (PPAR-a) and carnitine palmitoyl transferase-I (CPT-I), muscle insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) were significantly elevated and myostatin mRNA level was reduced in the 5 and 10% groups (P<0.05). It was found that supplementation with 5% Cr-Pyr improves both lipid and protein metabolism by regulating various metabolic parameters of broilers, while not adversely affects growth performance in broiler chickens.