Myo-inositol supplementation in diet-induced obese lactating rats mitigates metabolic dysregulation and improves offspring health in early life

Myo-inositol (MI) supplementation has emerged as a promising intervention to mitigate the malprogramming effects associated with adverse maternal conditions during the perinatal period. This study aimed to assess the effects of MI supplementation during lactation on metabolism in diet-induced obese rats and on early health outcomes in their offspring. Female Wistar rats were fed either a control (CON) or Western diet (WD) for one month before mating and during gestation and lactation. After parturition, dams were supplemented daily with either MI or vehicle (V) throughout lactation. Phenotypic traits, along with milk and blood parameters were analyzed in dams and their offspring during lactation. At weaning, hepatic lipid content and gene expression in the liver, retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (rWAT), and mammary gland were assessed in dams. MI supplementation significantly reduced hepatic lipid accumulation in WD-dams and decreased pro-inflammatory markers in the liver (Tnfa) and retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (rWAT) (Tnfa, Il6) in both CON- and WD-dams, as well as modulated milk insulin levels. Their offspring exhibited, in plasma, higher MI and BDNF concentrations as well as lower insulin levels, which are key factors in perinatal programming. These findings suggest that maternal MI supplementation during lactation confers metabolic benefits to both dams and their offspring, specifically improving maternal inflammation and lipid metabolism while influencing milk composition.