Maternal Protein Restriction Impairs Offspring Growth and Neuromuscular Development: Evidence from a Controlled Murine Model

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-591-1_11How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Maternal nutrition; Protein deficiency; Fetal growth; Birth weight; Neuromuscular development; Developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD); Murine model; Physical performance capacity; Early-life programming; Sport science

Abstract

Maternal nutrition during gestation is a critical determinant of offspring developmental trajectories, particularly in relation to early neuromuscular function and subsequent physical performance capacity. Protein deficiency, a prevalent form of chronic undernutrition in developing contexts, has been associated with intrauterine growth restriction and long-term impairments in musculoskeletal and metabolic systems [1], [2]. This study aimed to investigate the impact of maternal low-protein intake on early physical development using a controlled murine experimental model. A total of ten adult female mice were randomly allocated to either a low-protein diet group (LP; n = 5) or a standard diet group (SD; n = 5) throughout gestation. Maternal body weight was assessed pre- and post-pregnancy, while reproductive outcomes, including litter size and offspring birth weight, were recorded immediately after delivery. Statistical analysis was performed using the non-parametric Mann–Whitney U-test with a significance threshold set at p < 0.05. The findings demonstrated no statistically significant difference in maternal pre-gestational body weight between groups (p = 0.511), indicating baseline homogeneity. However, a significant reduction in post-gestational maternal weight was observed in the LP group (p = 0.034), suggesting increased metabolic strain under protein restriction. Although litter size was lower in the LP group, the difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.091). Notably, offspring birth weight was significantly reduced in the LP group (p < 0.001), reflecting impaired fetal growth. These results provide empirical evidence that maternal protein deficiency negatively affects early growth parameters, which are strongly associated with delayed neuromuscular maturation and reduced functional movement capacity [3], [4]. From a sport science perspective, suboptimal early development may predispose individuals to diminished physical fitness, lower muscle mass accretion, and reduced exercise performance in later life stages. In conclusion, adequate maternal protein intake during pregnancy is essential to support optimal fetal growth and to establish a foundation for neuromuscular efficiency and long-term physical performance potential. These findings reinforce the importance of maternal nutritional interventions as a preventive strategy to enhance population-level physical capacity and athletic development.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Nenni Dwi Aprianti Lubis
AU  - Elisa Julianti
AU  - Hotnida Sinaga
AU  - Muhammad Ichwan
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/24
TI  - Maternal Protein Restriction Impairs Offspring Growth and Neuromuscular Development: Evidence from a Controlled Murine Model
BT  - Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference of Sport Science, Sport Coaching Science, and Physical Education, and Recreation 2025 (ICOSSCOPER 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 117
EP  - 125
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-591-1_11
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-591-1_11
ID  - Lubis2026
ER  -