Role of GAA in Brain Metabolism and Heat Stress

Study Notes

GAA is an amino acid derivative and precursor to creatine, which plays a significant role in energy metabolism.
GAA has been explored as an effective alternative to creatine supplements due to creatine's instability during manufacturing and cost.

Increased dietary GAA can increase brain functions and concentration in broilers subjected to heat stress.
GAA supplementation can increase plasma arginine, making it more readily available for metabolic processes other than de novo GAA production.

Dietary GAA can be used to substitute 150% of arginine in broiler diets with a moderately low crude protein to achieve comparable growth, meat quality, and creatine production.
GAA supplementation can spare dietary arginine, and supplementing with 1.2 g/kg GAA is the most effective way to boost growth performance.
GAA supplementation does not affect feed intake in broilers, except at very high doses (6 g/kg) which lead to reduced feed intake.
Adding coenzyme Q10, taurine, or a combination of the two in broiler diets can improve growth performance.

Feeding GAA during gestation and lactation improves multiparity and gilt performance, milk quality, and production, as well as litter growth performance.
GAA supplementation can be used as an arginine-sparing agent in animals, improving growth, feed efficiency, and growth performance.

GAA supplementation can act as an arginine-sparing agent while decreasing mortality related to ascites.
GAA can improve skeletal muscle development and expression of myogenic genes.
GAA can be used to replace arginine in animal diets.