alpha-Lipoic acid reduced weight gain and improved the lipid profile in rats fed with high fat diet.
- Author:
Eun Young SEO
1
;
Ae Wha HA
;
Woo Kyoung KIM
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: alpha-Lipoic acid; high fat diet; weight loss; lipid profiles
- MeSH: Animals; Body Weight; Cholesterol; Diet, High-Fat; Kidney; Lipoproteins; Liver; Organ Size; Plasma; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Spleen; Thioctic Acid; Triglycerides; Weight Gain; Weight Loss
- From:Nutrition Research and Practice 2012;6(3):195-200
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of alpha-lipoic acid on body weight and lipid profiles in Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high fat diet (HFD). After 4 weeks of feeding, rats on the HFD were divided into three groups by randomized block design; the first group received the high-fat-diet (n = 10), and the second group received the HFD administered with 0.25% alpha-lipoic acid (0.25LA), and the third group received the high-fat diet with 0.5% alpha-lipoic acid (0.5LA). The high fat diet with alpha-lipoic acid supplemented groups had significantly inhibited body weight gain, compared to that in the HFD group (P < 0.05). Organ weights of rats were also significantly reduced in liver, kidney, spleen, and visible fat tissues in rats supplemented with alpha-lipoic acid (P < 0.05). Significant differences in plasma lipid profiles, such as total lipids, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein, were observed between the HFD and 0.5LA groups. The atherogenic index and the plasma high density lipoprotein-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio improved significantly with alpha-lipoic acid supplementation in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Total hepatic cholesterol and total lipid concentration decreased significantly in high fat fed rats supplemented with alpha-lipoic acid in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05), whereas liver triglyceride content was not affected. In conclusion, alpha-lipoic acid supplementation had a positive effect on weight gain and plasma and liver lipid profiles in rats.