Rajavel Elango

PhD

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital

The goal of my research program is to identify protein and amino acid (building blocks of protein) requirements during key life stages of growth and development, and in disease.

During pregnancy the nutritional state of the mother influences the rapidly growing fetus and affects long-term health. Due to ethical constraints protein requirements during pregnancy is not well studied. With the use of stable isotope tracers, which are completely safe for use in vulnerable populations like pregnant women, my research will measure requirements and trace complex amino acid metabolic pathways in the human body. The focus will be to make dietary protein and amino acid recommendations to improve long-term health for the mother and child.

Undernutrition or malnutrition has been implicated to be the underlying cause of ~50% of all deaths in children in the developing world. My research will examine the impact of childhood malnutrition on protein and amino acid requirements with collaborations between research institutes located in India and BCCHR in Vancouver.

Academic Affiliations

  • Professor, , Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
  • Professor, , School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
  • Research Theme: Healthy Starts
  • Research Group(s): Global Health and Innovations; Origins of Child Health and Disease; Pathways to Healthy Birth

Contact Information

Location

950 West 28th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V5Z 4H4

Development of home-based methods to defat human milk for infants with chylothorax: An experimental study

Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition

Kaitlin Berris and Kendall Plant and Frances Jones and Diego Marquez and Vicki Hsieh and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1002/jpen.2782

08 / 2025

Improving the Quality of Lentil Protein-Based Diets

Alyssa Paoletti and Rajavel Elango and Glenda Courtney-Martin

DOI: 10.1201/b23328-10

06 / 2025

Reply to DJ Millward

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Kerri Scherbinsky and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Glenda Courtney-Martin and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.12.012

02 / 2025

Protein requirements in adults with phenylketonuria and bioavailability of glycomacropeptide compared to an l-amino acid-based product

Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease

Abrar Turki and Sylvia Stockler-Ipsiroglu and Sandra Sirrs and Jennifer Branov and Taryn Bosdet and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12806

01 / 2025

Point-of-care human milk concentration by passive osmosis: comprehensive analysis of fresh human milk samples

Journal of Perinatology

Elizabeth R. Schinkel and Elizabeth R. Nelson and Jae H. Kim and Maryanne T. Perrin and Roger Dyer and Rajavel Elango and Lars Bode and David C. Dallas and Jiraporn Lueangsakulthai and Carrie-Ellen Briere and Sarah N. Taylor

DOI: 10.1038/s41372-024-01988-2

11 / 2024

Total sulfur amino acid requirements are higher during late gestation compared with early gestation in healthy Canadian pregnancies in a repeated-measures trial

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Kerri Scherbinsky and Betina F Rasmussen and Bingqing Li and Dehan Kong and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Glenda Courtney-Martin and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.07.034

10 / 2024

Protein Requirements in Humans: A Need for Reassessment

The Journal of Nutrition

Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.10.018

12 / 2023

The Minimum Methionine Requirement for Adults Aged =60 Years Is the Same in Males and Females

Nutrients

Alyssa Paoletti and Paul B. Pencharz and Ronald O. Ball and Dehan Kong and Libai Xu and Rajavel Elango and Glenda Courtney-Martin

DOI: 10.3390/nu15194112

09 / 2023

Human Milk Calorie Guide: A Novel Color-Based Tool to Estimate the Calorie Content of Human Milk for Preterm Infants

Nutrients

Anish Pillai and Susan Albersheim and Nikoo Niknafs and Brian Maugo and Betina Rasmussen and Mei Lam and Gurpreet Grewal and Arianne Albert and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.3390/nu15081866

04 / 2023

Tolerable upper intake level (UL) for individual amino acids in humans: A narrative review of recent clinical studies

Advances in Nutrition

Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.04.004

04 / 2023

Dietary management in pregnant Phenylketonuria (PKU) patients: comparison with protein and phenylalanine requirements in healthy pregnancies

Madeleine Ennis and Annie Rosen Heath and Jennifer Branov and Taryn Bosdet and Anna Lehman and Sandra Sirrs and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2609680/v1

03 / 2023

Maternal nutritional risk factors for pre-eclampsia incidence: findings from a narrative scoping review

Reproductive Health

Mai-Lei Woo Kinshella and Shazmeen Omar and Kerri Scherbinsky and Marianne Vidler and Laura A. Magee and Peter von Dadelszen and Sophie E. Moore and Rajavel Elango and Peter von Dadelszen and Laura A. Magee and Lucilla Poston and Hiten D. Mistry and Marie-Laure Volvert and Cristina Escalona Lopez and Sophie Moore and Rachel Tribe and Andrew Shennan and Tatiana Salisbury and Lucy Chappell and Rachel Craik and Marleen Temmerman and Angela Koech Etyang and Sikolia Wanyonyi and Geoffrey Omuse and Patricia Okiro and Grace Mwashigadi and Esperana Sevene and Helena Boene and Corssino Tchavana and Eusebio Macete and Carla Carillho and Lazaro Quimice and Sonia Maculuve and Donna Russell and Ben Baratt and Joy Lawn and Hannah Blencowe and Veronique Filippi and Matt Silver and Prestige Tatenda Makanga and Liberty Makacha and Yolisa Dube and Newton Nyapwere and Reason Mlambo and Umberto DAlessandro and Anna Roca and Melisa Martinez-Alvarez and Hawanatu Jah and Brahima Diallo and Abdul Karim Sesa

DOI: 10.1186/s12978-022-01485-9

09 / 2022

Pregnancy-induced alterations of 1-carbon metabolism and significance for maternal nutrition requirements

Nutrition Reviews

Kelsey M Cochrane and Brock A Williams and Rajavel Elango and Susan I Barr and Crystal D Karakochuk

DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuac015

08 / 2022

Complexity of understanding the role of dietary and erythrocyte docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the cognitive performance of school-age children

Current Developments in Nutrition

Kelly A Mulder and Roger A Dyer and Rajavel Elango and Sheila M Innis

DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzac099

07 / 2022

Metabolic Availability of Methionine Assessed Using Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Method, Is Greater when Cooked Lentils and Steamed Rice Are Combined in the Diet of Healthy Young Men

The Journal of Nutrition

Mahroukh Rafii and Paul B Pencharz and Kaylem Boileau and Ronald O Ball and Christopher Tomlinson and Rajavel Elango and Glenda Courtney-Martin

DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxac049

06 / 2022

Energy Metabolism in Gynecological Cancers: A Scoping Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Ana Paula Pagano and Katherine Ford and Kathryn N. Porter Starr and Nicole Kiss and Helen Steed and Janice Y. Kung and Rajavel Elango and Carla M. Prado

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116419

05 / 2022

Perceptions of expressed breast milk for preterm infants in Malawian hospitals: A qualitative study

Journal of Neonatal Nursing

Anna-Joy Ong and Mai-Lei Woo Kinshella and Sangwani Salimu and Marianne Vidler and Rajavel Elango and Mwai Banda and Queen Dube and David Goldfarb and Kondwani Kawaza and Alinane Linda Nyondo-Mipando

DOI: 10.1016/j.jnn.2021.08.006

04 / 2022

Bioavailable Lysine Assessed Using the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Method in Healthy Young Males is High when Sorghum is Cooked by a Moist Cooking Method

The Journal of Nutrition

Alyssa Paoletti and Abrar Fakiha and Zujaja Tul-Noor and Paul B Pencharz and Crystal L Levesque and Ronald O Ball and Dehan Kong and Rajavel Elango and Glenda Courtney-Martin

DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxab410

03 / 2022

DNA methylation at a nutritionally sensitive region of the PAX8 gene is associated with thyroid volume and function in Gambian children.

Apollo - University of Cambridge Repository

DOI: 10.17863/cam.79634

01 / 2022

Additional file 3 of Maternal nutritional risk factors for pre-eclampsia incidence: findings from a narrative scoping review

figshare

DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.20962419

Additional file 1 of Maternal nutritional risk factors for pre-eclampsia incidence: findings from a narrative scoping review

figshare

DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.20962413

Additional file 2 of Maternal nutritional risk factors for pre-eclampsia incidence: findings from a narrative scoping review

figshare

DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.20962416

Maternal Dietary Patterns and Pregnancy Hypertension in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Advances in Nutrition

Mai-Lei Woo Kinshella and Shazmeen Omar and Kerri Scherbinsky and Marianne Vidler and Laura A Magee and Peter vonDadelszen and Sophie E Moore and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1093/advances/nmab057

11 / 2021

DNA methylation at a nutritionally sensitive region of the PAX8 gene is associated with thyroid volume and function in Gambian children

Science Advances

Toby Candler and Noah J. Kessler and Chathura J. Gunasekara and Kate A. Ward and Philip James and Eleonora Laritsky and Maria S. Baker and Roger Dyer and Rajavel Elango and David Jeffries and Robert A. Waterland and Sophie E. Moore and Marian Ludgate and Andrew M. Prentice and Matt J. Silver

DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj1561

11 / 2021

Dietary management and growth outcomes in children with propionic acidemia: A natural history study

JIMD Reports

Haneen Saleemani and Csilla Egri and Gabriella Horvath and Sylvia Stockler-Ipsiroglu and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1002/jmd2.12234

09 / 2021

Subchronic Tolerance Trials of Graded Oral Supplementation with Phenylalanine or Serine in Healthy Adults

Nutrients

Naoki Miura and Hideki Matsumoto and Luc Cynober and Patrick J. Stover and Rajavel Elango and Motoni Kadowaki and Dennis M. Bier and Miro Smriga

DOI: 10.3390/nu13061976

06 / 2021

Corrected fortification approach improves the protein and energy content of preterm human milk compared with standard fixed-dose fortification

Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition

Anish Pillai and Susan Gail Albersheim and Kaitlin Berris and Arianne Y Albert and Horacio Osiovich and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2019-317503

05 / 2021

Glycine, a Dispensable Amino Acid, Is Conditionally Indispensable in Late Stages of Human Pregnancy

The Journal of Nutrition

Betina F Rasmussen and Madeleine A Ennis and Roger A Dyer and Kenneth Lim and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxaa263

02 / 2021

Effects of Maternal Nutritional Supplements and Dietary Interventions on Placental Complications: An Umbrella Review, Meta-Analysis and Evidence Map

Nutrients

Mai-Lei Kinshella and Shazmeen Omar and Kerri Scherbinsky and Marianne Vidler and Laura Magee and Peter von Dadelszen and Sophie Moore and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.3390/nu13020472

01 / 2021

Lysine Bioavailability in School-Age Children Consuming Rice Is Reduced by Starch Retrogradation

The Journal of Nutrition

Katia Caballero and Ronit Mandal and Anubhav Pratap-Singh and David D Kitts and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Glenda Courtney-Martin and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxaa276

12 / 2020

Dietary Aromatic Amino Acid Requirements During Early and Late Gestation in Healthy Pregnant Women

The Journal of Nutrition

Madeleine A Ennis and Anna-Joy Ong and Kenneth Lim and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Glenda Courtney-Martin and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxaa317

12 / 2020

Methionine Nutrition and Metabolism: Insights from Animal Studies to Inform Human Nutrition

The Journal of Nutrition

Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxaa155

10 / 2020

Proposals for Upper Limits of Safe Intake for Methionine, Histidine, and Lysine in Healthy Humans

The Journal of Nutrition

Luc Cynober and Dennis M Bier and Patrick Stover and Motoni Kadowaki and Sidney M Morris, Jr and Rajavel Elango and Miro Smriga

DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxaa231

10 / 2020

Dispensable Amino Acids, except Glutamine and Proline, Are Ideal Nitrogen Sources for Protein Synthesis in the Presence of Adequate Indispensable Amino Acids in Adult Men

The Journal of Nutrition

Leah Cooper and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Ryosei Sakai and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxaa180

09 / 2020

Impact of enteral arginine supplementation on lysine metabolism in humans: A proof-of-concept for lysine-related inborn errors of metabolism

Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease

Zoe Schmidt and Gayathri Murthy and Madeleine Ennis and Sylvia Stockler-Ipsiroglu and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12233

09 / 2020

Dietary phenylalanine requirements during early and late gestation in healthy pregnant women

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Madeleine A Ennis and Betina F Rasmussen and Kenneth Lim and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Glenda Courtney-Martin and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqz288

02 / 2020

Protein Quality Assessment of Follow-up Formula for Young Children and Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods: Recommendations by the FAO Expert Working Group in 2017

The Journal of Nutrition

Nirupama Shivakumar and Alan Anthony Jackson and Glenda Courtney-Martin and Rajavel Elango and Shibani Ghosh and Suzanne Hodgkinson and Maria Xipsiti and Warren T K Lee and Anura V Kurpad and Daniel Tom

DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxz250

02 / 2020

The Phenylalanine Requirement of Elderly Men and Women Measured by Direct 13C Carbon Oxidation Method Is Similar to That of Young Adults

The Journal of Nutrition

Kimberly E Martin and Paul B Pencharz and Mahroukh Rafii and Ronald O Ball and Sylwia Szwiega and Rajavel Elango and Glenda Courtney-Martin

DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxz137

10 / 2019

Evaluation of A Concentrated Preterm Formula as a Liquid Human Milk Fortifier in Preterm Babies at Increased Risk of Feed Intolerance

Nutrients

Anish Pillai and Susan Albersheim and Julie Matheson and Vikki Lalari and Sylvia Wei and Sheila Innis and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.3390/nu10101433

10 / 2018

Milk Fat Globule Membrane Supplementation in Formula-fed Rat Pups Improves Reflex Development and May Alter Brain Lipid Composition

Scientific Reports

Sara Moukarzel and Roger A. Dyer and Cyrielle Garcia and Alejandra M. Wiedeman and Guilaine Boyce and Joanne Weinberg and Bernd O. Keller and Rajavel Elango and Sheila M. Innis

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33603-8

10 / 2018

Metabolic Availability of the Limiting Amino Acids Lysine and Tryptophan in Cooked White African Cornmeal Assessed in Healthy Young Men Using the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Technique

The Journal of Nutrition

Mahroukh Rafii and Rajavel Elango and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Glenda Courtney-Martin

DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxy039

05 / 2018

Editorial introductions

Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care

Luc A. Cynober and Yvon A. Carpentier and Jrgen M. Bauer and John E. Morley and Alessandro Laviano and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1097/mco.0000000000000436

01 / 2018

Fetal DHA inadequacy and the impact on child neurodevelopment: a follow-up of a randomised trial of maternal DHA supplementation in pregnancy

British Journal of Nutrition

Kelly A. Mulder and Rajavel Elango and Sheila M. Innis

DOI: 10.1017/s0007114517003531

01 / 2018

Lysine Requirements of Healthy Pregnant Women are Higher During Late Stages of Gestation Compared to Early Gestation

The Journal of Nutrition

Magdalene Payne and Trina Stephens and Kenneth Lim and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxx034

01 / 2018

Total Sulfur Amino Acid Requirements Are Not Altered in Children with Chronic Renal Insufficiency, but Minimum Methionine Needs Are Increased

The Journal of Nutrition

Rajavel Elango and Mohammad A Humayun and Justine M Turner and Mahroukh Rafii and Veronika Langos and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz

DOI: 10.3945/jn.116.244301

10 / 2017

Relationships among Different Water-Soluble Choline Compounds Differ between Human Preterm and Donor Milk

Nutrients

Sara Moukarzel and Lynda Soberanes and Roger A. Dyer and Susan Albersheim and Rajavel Elango and Sheila M. Innis

DOI: 10.3390/nu9040369

04 / 2017

The Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Method with the Use of L-[1-13C]Leucine Suggests a Higher than Currently Recommended Protein Requirement in Children with Phenylketonuria

The Journal of Nutrition

Abrar Turki and Keiko Ueda and Barbara Cheng and Alette Giezen and Ramona Salvarinova and Sylvia Stockler-Ipsiroglu and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.3945/jn.116.240218

02 / 2017

Protein and amino acids

Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care

Rajavel Elango and Alessandro Laviano

DOI: 10.1097/mco.0000000000000343

01 / 2017

Protein and amino acids: key players in modulating health and disease.

Elango R and Laviano A

PubMed: 27801686

01 / 2017

Host conditioning and rejection monitoring in hepatocyte transplantation in humans.

Soltys KA and Setoyama K and Tafaleng EN and Soto Gutirrez A and Fong J and Fukumitsu K and Nishikawa T and Nagaya M and Sada R and Haberman K and Gramignoli R and Dorko K and Tahan V and Dreyzin A and Baskin K and Crowley JJ and Quader MA and Deutsch M and Ashokkumar C and Shneider BL

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2016.12.017 PubMed: 28027971

12 / 2016

Safety and Tolerability of Leucine Supplementation in Elderly Men

The Journal of Nutrition

Rajavel Elango and Betina Rasmussen and Kenneth Madden

DOI: 10.3945/jn.116.234930

12 / 2016

Proposals for Upper Limits of Safe Intake for Arginine and Tryptophan in Young Adults and an Upper Limit of Safe Intake for Leucine in the Elderly

Journal of Nutrition

L. Cynober and D. M. Bier and M. Kadowaki and S. M. Morris and R. Elango and M. Smriga

DOI: 10.3945/jn.115.228478

11 / 2016

Human Milk Plasmalogens Are Highly Enriched in Long-Chain PUFAs

Journal of Nutrition

S. Moukarzel and R. A. Dyer and B. O. Keller and R. Elango and S. M. Innis

DOI: 10.3945/jn.116.236802

10 / 2016

Assessing resting energy expenditure in overweight and obese adolescents in a clinical setting: validity of a handheld indirect calorimeter

Pediatric Research

Paula Woo and Gayathri Murthy and Cindy Wong and Brenden Hursh and Jean-Pierre Chanoine and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1038/pr.2016.182

09 / 2016

Protein Requirements during Aging

Nutrients

Glenda Courtney-Martin and Ronald Ball and Paul Pencharz and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.3390/nu8080492

08 / 2016

Protein and Amino Acid Requirements during Pregnancy

Advances in Nutrition: An International Review Journal

Rajavel Elango and Ronald O Ball

DOI: 10.3945/an.115.011817

07 / 2016

Recent developments in understanding protein needs " How much and what kind should we eat? 1

Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism

Paul B. Pencharz and Rajavel Elango and Robert R. Wolfe

DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2015-0549

05 / 2016

Determination of the safety of leucine supplementation in healthy elderly men

Amino Acids

Betina Rasmussen and Erin Gilbert and Abrar Turki and Kenneth Madden and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1007/s00726-016-2241-0

04 / 2016

Cardiac Autonomic Function at Baseline and under Stress and Its Relationship to Circulatory Markers of Inflammation in Obese Compared to Nonobese Children: A Pilot Study

Hormone Research in Paediatrics

Brenden E. Hursh and Mir Sohail Fazeli and Sarah Wang and Elizabeth A. Marchant and Paula Woo and Rajavel Elango and Pascal M. Lavoie and Jean-Pierre Chanoine and Jean-Paul Collet

DOI: 10.1159/000445685

04 / 2016

Dietary Protein Requirement of Men >65 Years Old Determined by the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Technique Is Higher than the Current Estimated Average Requirement.

Rafii M and Chapman K and Elango R and Campbell WW and Ball RO and Pencharz PB and Courtney-Martin G

PubMed: 26962173

03 / 2016

Dietary Protein Requirement of Men >65 Years Old Determined by the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Technique Is Higher than the Current Estimated Average Requirement

Journal of Nutrition

M. Rafii and K. Chapman and R. Elango and W. W. Campbell and R. O. Ball and P. B. Pencharz and G. Courtney-Martin

DOI: 10.3945/jn.115.225631

03 / 2016

Treatment of Creatine Transporter (SLC6A8) Deficiency With Oral S-Adenosyl Methionine as Adjunct to L-arginine, Glycine, and Creatine Supplements

Pediatric Neurology

Sravan Jaggumantri and Mary Dunbar and Vanessa Edgar and Cristina Mignone and Theresa Newlove and Rajavel Elango and Jean Paul Collet and Michael Sargent and Sylvia Stockler-Ipsiroglu and Clara D.M. van Karnebeek

DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2015.05.006

10 / 2015

Protein: A nutrient in focus 1

Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism

Emily Arentson-Lantz and Stephanie Clairmont and Douglas Paddon-Jones and Angelo Tremblay and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2014-0530

08 / 2015

Minimally invasive 13C-breath test to examine phenylalanine metabolism in children with phenylketonuria

Molecular Genetics and Metabolism

Abrar Turki and Gayathri Murthy and Keiko Ueda and Barbara Cheng and Alette Giezen and Sylvia Stockler-Ipsiroglu and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2015.04.005

06 / 2015

Lysine Requirements of Moderately Undernourished School-Aged Indian Children Are Reduced by Treatment for Intestinal Parasites as Measured by the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Technique

Journal of Nutrition

R. R. Pillai and R. Elango and R. O. Ball and A. V. Kurpad and P. B. Pencharz

DOI: 10.3945/jn.114.208439

03 / 2015

Reply to DJ Millward.

Tang M and McCabe GP and Elango R and Pencharz PB and Ball RO and Campbell WW

DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.114.090324 PubMed: 25240088

10 / 2014

Tolerability of Leucine in Humans

Branched Chain Amino Acids in Clinical Nutrition

Rajavel Elango and Ronald O. Ball and Paul B. Pencharz

DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-1914-7_1

10 / 2014

Dietary Protein Requirement of Female Adults >65 Years Determined by the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Technique Is Higher Than Current Recommendations

Journal of Nutrition

M. Rafii and K. Chapman and J. Owens and R. Elango and W. W. Campbell and R. O. Ball and P. B. Pencharz and G. Courtney-Martin

DOI: 10.3945/jn.114.197517

10 / 2014

Protein Requirements of Healthy Pregnant Women during Early and Late Gestation Are Higher than Current Recommendations

Journal of Nutrition

T. V. Stephens and M. Payne and R. O. Ball and P. B. Pencharz and R. Elango

DOI: 10.3945/jn.114.198622

09 / 2014

Healthy pregnant women in Canada are consuming more dietary protein at 16- and 36-week gestation than currently recommended by the Dietary Reference Intakes, primarily from dairy food sources

Nutrition Research

Trina V. Stephens and Hillary Woo and Sheila M. Innis and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2014.07.001

07 / 2014

Assessment of protein requirement in octogenarian women with use of the indicator amino acid oxidation technique.

Tang M and McCabe GP and Elango R and Pencharz PB and Ball RO and Campbell WW

DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.112.042325 PubMed: 24429540

04 / 2014

Assessing Energy Expenditure in Obese Adolescents in a Clinical Setting: Is the Handheld Indirect Calorimeter Valid and Accurate?

Canadian Journal of Diabetes

Paula P.W. Woo and Gayathri Murthy and Cindy Wong and Jean-Pierre Chanoine and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2013.08.205

10 / 2013

Lysine from Cooked White Rice Consumed by Healthy Young Men Is Highly Metabolically Available When Assessed Using the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Technique

Journal of Nutrition

I. R. D. Prolla and M. Rafii and G. Courtney-Martin and R. Elango and L. P. da Silva and R. O. Ball and P. B. Pencharz

DOI: 10.3945/jn.112.166728

01 / 2013

Splanchnic First Pass Disappearance of Threonine and Lysine Do Not Differ in Healthy Men in the Fed State

Journal of Nutrition

K. P. Chapman and R. Elango and R. O. Ball and P. B. Pencharz

DOI: 10.3945/jn.112.168328

01 / 2013

Determination of the tolerable upper intake level of leucine in acute dietary studies in young men.

Elango R and Chapman K and Rafii M and Ball RO and Pencharz PB

DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.111.024471 PubMed: 22952178

10 / 2012

Determination of the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of Leucine in Adult Men

Journal of Nutrition

P. B. Pencharz and R. Elango and R. O. Ball

DOI: 10.3945/jn.112.160259

10 / 2012

Available versus digestible amino acids " new stable isotope methods

British Journal of Nutrition

Rajavel Elango and Crystal Levesque and Ronald O. Ball and Paul B. Pencharz

DOI: 10.1017/s0007114512002498

08 / 2012

Recent advances in determining protein and amino acid requirements in humans

British Journal of Nutrition

Rajavel Elango and Ronald O. Ball and Paul B. Pencharz

DOI: 10.1017/s0007114512002504

08 / 2012

Protein requirement of healthy school-age children determined by the indicator amino acid oxidation method.

Elango R and Humayun MA and Ball RO and Pencharz PB

DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.111.012815 PubMed: 22049165

12 / 2011

Lysine a-ketoglutarate reductase, but not saccharopine dehydrogenase, is subject to substrate inhibition in pig liver

Nutrition Research

Desmond B.S. Pink and Stephanie K. Gatrell and Rajavel Elango and Joan Turchinsky and Aaron S. Kiess and Kenneth P. Blemings and Walter T. Dixon and Ronald O. Ball

DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2011.06.001

07 / 2011

Evidence that protein requirements have been significantly underestimated

Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care

Rajavel Elango and Mohammad A Humayun and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz

DOI: 10.1097/mco.0b013e328332f9b7

01 / 2010

Lysine Requirement of Healthy, School-Aged Indian Children Determined by the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Technique

Journal of Nutrition

R. R. Pillai and R. Elango and S. Muthayya and R. O. Ball and A. V. Kurpad and P. B. Pencharz

DOI: 10.3945/jn.109.113357

11 / 2009

Measurement of homocysteine and related metabolites in human plasma and urine by liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

Journal of Chromatography B

Mahroukh Rafii and Rajavel Elango and James D. House and Glenda Courtney-Martin and Pauline Darling and Lawrence Fisher and Paul B. Pencharz

DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2009.05.002

10 / 2009

Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Is Not Affected by Period of Adaptation to a Wide Range of Lysine Intake in Healthy Young Men

Journal of Nutrition

R. Elango and M. A. Humayun and R. O. Ball and P. B. Pencharz

DOI: 10.3945/jn.108.101147

04 / 2009

Amino acid requirements in humans: with a special emphasis on the metabolic availability of amino acids

Amino Acids

Rajavel Elango and Ronald O. Ball and Paul B. Pencharz

DOI: 10.1007/s00726-009-0234-y

01 / 2009

An approach to defining the upper safe limits of amino acid intake.

Pencharz PB and Elango R and Ball RO

PubMed: 18806114

10 / 2008

Indicator amino acid oxidation: concept and application.

Elango R and Ball RO and Pencharz PB

PubMed: 18203885

02 / 2008

Individual amino acid requirements in humans: an update

Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care

Rajavel Elango and Ronald O Ball and Paul B Pencharz

DOI: 10.1097/mco.0b013e3282f2a5a4

01 / 2008

1.3.3 Protein

Pediatric Nutrition in Practice

Paul Pencharz and Rajavel Elango

DOI: 10.1159/000155244

Reevaluation of the protein requirement in young men with the indicator amino acid oxidation technique.

Humayun MA and Elango R and Ball RO and Pencharz PB

PubMed: 17921376

10 / 2007

Application of the indicator amino acid oxidation technique for the determination of metabolic availability of sulfur amino acids from casein versus soy protein isolate in adult men.

Humayun MA and Elango R and Moehn S and Ball RO and Pencharz PB

PubMed: 17634258

08 / 2007

Lysine requirement of healthy school-age children determined by the indicator amino acid oxidation method.

Elango R and Humayun MA and Ball RO and Pencharz PB

PubMed: 17684206

08 / 2007

High-throughput and simultaneous measurement of homocysteine and cysteine in human plasma and urine by liquid chromatography"electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

Analytical Biochemistry

Mahroukh Rafii and Rajavel Elango and Glenda Courtney-Martin and James D. House and Lawrence Fisher and Paul B. Pencharz

DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2007.07.026

Minimum methionine requirement and cysteine sparing of methionine in healthy school-age children.

Humayun MA and Turner JM and Elango R and Rafii M and Langos V and Ball RO and Pencharz PB

PubMed: 17093160

11 / 2006

Total sulfur amino acid requirement of healthy school-age children as determined by indicator amino acid oxidation technique.

Turner JM and Humayun MA and Elango R and Rafii M and Langos V and Ball RO and Pencharz PB

PubMed: 16522909

03 / 2006

Parenteral and enteral routes of feeding in neonatal piglets require different ratios of branched-chain amino acids.

Elango R and Goonewardene LA and Pencharz PB and Ball RO

PubMed: 14704296

01 / 2004

The branched-chain amino acid requirement of parenterally fed neonatal piglets is less than the enteral requirement.

Elango R and Pencharz PB and Ball RO

PubMed: 12368405

10 / 2002

Determination of the optimal amounts of protein and amino acids to be added to medical foods in children with in-born errors of metabolism, including Phenylketonuria, Methylmalonic acidemia/Propionic acidemia

Children who are born with deficiency of an enzyme, have a block in metabolic pathways and causes toxic increases of some metabolites. Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by deficiency of the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH). PAH deficiency leads to increased levels of phenylalanine (an amino acid) in plasma. Similarly, Methylmalonic Acidemia (MMA) and Propionic Acidemia (PA) involves children born with a defect in conversion of Methylmalonyl-CoA to Succinyl-CoA, which are formed from the metabolism of amino acids - methionine, threonine, isoleucine and valine. Treatment involves dietary restriction of these amino acids, with provision of added protein from specially formulated medical foods. We are exploring what amounts of protein and other amino acids are adequate for these vulnerable children to support growth, using minimally-invasive stable isotope based methods.

Assessment of the protein quality of foods

While the amount of protein we eat needs to be optimal, dietary recommendations for protein are based on food sources. But food sources vary in their indispensable and dispensable amino acid content, with some foods quite rich and balanced, while some have a few key indispensable amino acids as too low. In addition, during digestion there is some loss of these amino acids, and will result in less amino acids available for growth and development in children. Thus, we are conducting experiments to explore how amino acids from various food sources are ‘metabolically available’ for protein synthesis in young children using state-of-the-art stable isotope based methods.

Determination of protein and amino acid requirements during pregnancy and lactation

It is important that pregnant women eat an adequate amount and quality of protein to ensure healthy growth and development of the fetus. It is well known that pregnant women need more high quality protein in their diet, but how much additional protein is required remains unclear. There is reason to believe that current Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommendations for protein intake in pregnancy are too low. Additionally, metabolic adaptations that occur in a woman’s body throughout pregnancy result in different nutritional requirements during the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters. To better define protein and amino acid requirements and identify good sources of protein throughout pregnancy, we are studying healthy pregnant women 19-35y, in their 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy using a stable isotope (L-1-13C-Phenylalanine) based technique.

Honours & Awards

Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Expert Working Group Member, 2017

Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Expert Working Group Member, 2014

Award from International Council on Amino Acid Science, 2014

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