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High intakes of skimmed milk, but not meat, increase serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in eight-year-old boys

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 58, pages 1211–1216 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To examine whether a high protein intake (PI) from either milk or meat, at a level often seen in late infancy, could increase s-IGF-I and s-IGF-I/s-IGFBP-3 in healthy, prepubertal children. IGF-I levels are positively associated with growth velocity in children and some studies suggest that a high animal PI can stimulate growth. During protein deprivation IGF-I decrease, but it is unknown whether a high PI can increase s-IGF-I in well-nourished children.

Design: In all, 24 8-y-old boys were asked to take either 1.5 l of skimmed milk (n=12) or the same amount of protein as 250 g low fat meat (n=12) daily for 7 days. The remaining diet they could choose freely. At baseline and after 7 days, anthropometrical variables were measured, diet was registered (3-day weighed records), and s-IGF-I and s-IGFBP-3 (RIA) were determined after fast.

Results: PI increased by 61% in the milk group to 4.0 g/kg/day (P<0.0001) and by 54% in the meat group to 3.8 g/kg/day (P=0.001). The high milk intake increased s-IGF-I by 19% (P=0.001) and s-IGF-I/s-IGFBP-3 by 13% (P<0.0001). There were no increases in the meat group.

Conclusions: High intake of milk and not meat, increased concentrations of s-IGF-I and s-IGF-I/s-IGFBP-3 significantly. Compounds in milk and not a high PI as such seem to stimulate IGF-I. This might explain the positive effect of milk intake on growth seen in some studies.

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Acknowledgements

The idea for this study came from a discussion between the authors. No author had a financial or personal conflict of interest related to this research or its source of funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Nutrition and Centre for Advanced Food Studies, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg, Denmark

    C Hoppe, C Mølgaard & K F Michaelsen

  2. Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

    A Juul

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  1. C Hoppe
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  3. A Juul
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  4. K F Michaelsen
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Guarantor: C Hoppe.

Contributors: CH conducted the statistical analyses and prepared the first draft of the manuscript in collaboration with CM and KFM. AJ was responsible for all IGF-I and IGFBP-3 measurements. All contributors participated in interpreting the results and were involved in preparing the final draft of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to C Hoppe.

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Hoppe, C., Mølgaard, C., Juul, A. et al. High intakes of skimmed milk, but not meat, increase serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in eight-year-old boys. Eur J Clin Nutr 58, 1211–1216 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601948

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