Low Aerobic Capacity Accelerates Lipid Accumulation and Metabolic Abnormalities Caused by High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity in Postpartum Mice

Women during pregnancy and postpartum show high rates of obesity and metabolic diseases, especially women with excessive caloric intake. In the past, it was proved that individuals with high intrinsic aerobic exercise capacities showed higher lipid metabolism and lower fat production than those with low intrinsic aerobic exercise capacities. The purpose of this study was to determine whether mice with the low-fitness phenotype (LAEC) were more likely to develop metabolic abnormalities and obesity under dietary induction after delivery, and if mice with a high-fitness phenotype (HAEC) had a protective mechanism. After parturition and weaning, postpartum Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice received dietary induction for 12 weeks and were divided into four groups (n = 8 per group): high-exercise capacity postpartum mice with a normal chow diet (HAEC-ND); high-exercise capacity postpartum mice with a high-fat diet (HAEC-HFD); low-exercise capacity postpartum mice with a normal chow diet (LAEC-ND); and low-exercise capacity postpartum mice with a high-fat diet (LAEC-HFD). Obesity caused by a high-fat diet led to decreased exercise performance (p < 0.05). Although there were significant differences in body posture under congenital conditions, the LAEC mice gained more weight and body fat after high-fat-diet intake (p < 0.05). Compared with HAEC-HFD, LAEC-HFD significantly increased blood lipids, such as total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and other parameters (p < 0.05), and the content of TG in the liver, as well as inducing poor glucose tolerance (p < 0.05). In addition, after HFD intake, excessive energy significantly increased glycogen storage (p < 0.05), but the LAEC mice showed significantly lower muscle glycogen storage (p < 0.05). In conclusion, although we observed significant differences in intrinsic exercise capacity, and body posture and metabolic ability were also different, high-fat-diet intake caused weight gain and a risk of metabolic disorders, especially in postpartum low-fitness mice. However, HAEC mice still showed better lipid metabolism and protection mechanisms. Conversely, LAEC mice might accumulate more fat and develop metabolic diseases compared with their normal rodent chow diet (ND) control counterparts.     

The Effect of Beetroot Ingestion on High-Intensity Interval Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Dietary nitrate supplementation has shown promising ergogenic effects on endurance exercise. However, at present there is no systematic analysis evaluating the effects of acute or chronic nitrate supplementation on performance measures during high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and sprint interval training (SIT). The main aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the evidence for supplementation of dietary beetroot—a common source of nitrate—to improve peak and mean power output during HIIT and SIT. A systematic literature search was carried out following PRISMA guidelines and the PICOS framework within the following databases: PubMed, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, and SPORTDiscus. Search terms used were: ((nitrate OR nitrite OR beetroot) AND (HIIT or high intensity or sprint interval or SIT) AND (performance)). A total of 17 studies were included and reviewed independently. Seven studies applied an acute supplementation strategy and ten studies applied chronic supplementation. The standardised mean difference for mean power output showed an overall trivial, non-significant effect in favour of placebo (Hedges’ g = −0.05, 95% CI −0.32 to 0.21, Z = 0.39, p = 0.69). The standardised mean difference for peak power output showed a trivial, non-significant effect in favour of the beetroot juice intervention (Hedges’ g = 0.08, 95% CI −0.14 to 0.30, Z = 0.72, p = 0.47). The present meta-analysis showed trivial statistical heterogeneity in power output, but the variation in the exercise protocols, nitrate dosage, type of beetroot products, supplementation strategy, and duration among studies restricted a firm conclusion of the effect of beetroot supplementation on HIIT performance. Our findings suggest that beetroot supplementation offers no significant improvement to peak or mean power output during HIIT or SIT. Future research could further examine the ergogenic potential by optimising the beetroot supplementation strategy in terms of dosage, timing, and type of beetroot product. The potential combined effect of other ingredients in the beetroot products should not be undermined. Finally, a chronic supplementation protocol with a higher beetroot dosage (>12.9 mmol/day for 6 days) is recommended for future HIIT and SIT study.     

Cold-Brewed Jasmine Tea Attenuates High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity and Gut Microbial Dysbiosis

Cold-brewed jasmine tea (CB-JT) is regarded to possess characteristic flavors and health benefits as a novel resource of functional tea beverages. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying CB-JT-mediated protective effects on obesity, we evaluated the serum biochemistry, histological condition, glucose tolerance, gene expression profile and intestinal microbial diversity in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Our results demonstrate that cold-brewed jasmine tea can significantly attenuate HFD-induced body weight gain, abnormal serum lipid levels, fat deposition, hepatic injury, inflammatory processes as well as metabolic endotoxemia. CB-JT also modified the microbial community composition in HFD-fed mice and altered the balance to one closely resembled that of the control group. The differential abundance of core microbes in obese mice was reversed by CB-JT treatment, including an increment in the abundance of Blautia, Mucispirillum, and Bilophila as well as a decrease in the abundance of Alloprevotella. CB-JT was proved to regulate the mRNA expression levels of lipid metabolism-related genes such as Leptin, Pgc1a Il6, and Il1b in the adipose tissue coupled with Cyp7a1, Lxra, Srebp1c, and Atgl in the liver. These findings indicate that cold-brewed jasmine tea might be served as a potential functional tea beverage to prevent obesity and gut microbiota dysbiosis.     

Korean Pine Nut Oil Attenuated Hepatic Triacylglycerol Accumulation in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Korean pine nut oil (PNO) has been reported to influence weight gain and lipid metabolism. We examined whether PNO replacement in a high-fat diet (HFD) can ameliorate HFD-induced hepatic steatosis. Five-week-old male C57BL mice were fed control diets containing 10% of the energy from fat from PNO or soybean oil (SBO) (PC, SC) or HFDs with 45% of the energy from fat, with 10% from PNO or SBO and 35% from lard (PHFD, SHFD), for 12 weeks. Body weight gain and amount of white adipose tissue were lower in PHFD (10% and 18% lower, respectively) compared with SHFD. Hepatic triacylglycerol (TG) level was significantly lower in PHFD than the SHFD (26% lower). PNO consumption upregulated hepatic ACADL mRNA levels. The hepatic PPARG mRNA level was lower in the PC than in the SC. Expression of the sirtuin (SIRT) 3 protein in white adipose tissue was down-regulated in the SHFD and restored in the PHFD to the level in the lean control mice. SIRT 3 was reported to be upregulated under conditions of caloric restriction (CR) and plays a role in regulating mitochondrial function. PNO consumption resulted in lower body fat and hepatic TG accumulation in HFD-induced obesity, which seemed to be associated with the CR-mimetic response.     

Krill Oil Supplementation Reduces Exacerbated Hepatic Steatosis Induced by Thermoneutral Housing in Mice with Diet-Induced Obesity

Preclinical evidence suggests that n-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA (Omega-3) supplemented as phospholipids (PLs) may be more effective than triacylglycerols (TAGs) in reducing hepatic steatosis. To further test the ability of Omega-3 PLs to alleviate liver steatosis, we used a model of exacerbated non-alcoholic fatty liver disease based on high-fat feeding at thermoneutral temperature. Male C57BL/6N mice were fed for 24 weeks a lard-based diet given either alone (LHF) or supplemented with Omega-3 (30 mg/g diet) as PLs (krill oil; ω3PL) or TAGs (Epax 3000TG concentrate; ω3TG), which had a similar total content of EPA and DHA and their ratio. Substantial levels of TAG accumulation (~250 mg/g) but relatively low inflammation/fibrosis levels were achieved in the livers of control LHF mice. Liver steatosis was reduced by >40% in the ω3PL but not ω3TG group, and plasma ALT levels were markedly reduced (by 68%) in ω3PL mice as well. Krill oil administration also improved hepatic insulin sensitivity, and its effects were associated with high plasma adiponectin levels (150% of LHF mice) along with superior bioavailability of EPA, increased content of alkaloids stachydrine and trigonelline, suppression of lipogenic gene expression, and decreased diacylglycerol levels in the liver. This study reveals that in addition to Omega-3 PLs, other constituents of krill oil, such as alkaloids, may contribute to its strong antisteatotic effects in the liver.     

The Storage Conditions of High-Fat Diet Are the Key Factors for Diet-Induced Obesity and Liver Damage

The diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse model has been widely used for obesity studies. The effects of storage conditions on the composition of nutrients in high-fat diets (HFDs) and their impact on metabolic homeostasis have not been systemically investigated. In the current study, we tested the effects of HFDs stored under different conditions and found that mice fed a HFD stored in the fridge (HFD^fri) gained less weight than those fed HFDs stored in the freezer (HFD^fre). Further analysis revealed that changes in the relative abundance of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) in the HFD^fri, which have much lower intestinal absorption rates, contributed to the body weight differences. In contrast, exacerbated liver damage and elevated levels of unfolded protein response (UPR) was observed in the mice fed by HFD^fri. Depletion of the UPR-regulated gene Nnmt alleviated liver damage via the inhibition of the integrated stress response (ISR). Our study, for the first time, provides evidence that HFD storage conditions can have a significant impact on both body weight changes and liver damage in the DIO model.     

The Edible Brown Seaweed Sargassum horneri (Turner) C. Agardh Ameliorates High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity,Diabetes, and Hepatic Steatosis in Mice

Sargassum horneri (Turner) C. Agardh (S. horneri) is edible brown seaweed that grows along the coast of East Asia and has been traditionally used as a folk medicine and a local food. In this study, we evaluated the effects of S. horneri on the development of obesity and related metabolic disorders in C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet. S. horneri was freeze-dried, fine-powdered, and mixed with a high-fat diet at a weight ratio of 2% or 6%. Feeding a high-fat diet to mice for 13 weeks induced obesity, diabetes, hepatic steatosis, and hypercholesterolemia. Supplementation of mice with S. horneri suppressed high-fat diet-induced body weight gain and the accumulation of fat in adipose tissue and liver, and the elevation of the serum glucose level. In addition, S. horneri improved insulin resistance. An analysis of the feces showed that S. horneri stimulated the fecal excretion of triglyceride, as well as increased the fecal polysaccharide content. Furthermore, extracts of S. horneri inhibited the activity of pancreatic lipase in vitro. These results showed that S. horneri can ameliorate diet-induced metabolic diseases, and the effect may be partly associated with the suppression of intestinal fat absorption.     

Effects of Green Tea and Green Tea Incorporated in Nanoparticle Lyotropic Liquid Crystal on Exercise Adaptations: A High-Intensity Interval Training Pre-Clinical Study

Green tea (GT) is a natural antioxidant, sensitive to oxidation after preparation. Lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) are nanostructured systems used to incorporate bioactive compounds. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a workout modality that increases the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thus, this research aimed to compare the effects of GT and GT loaded in LLC in animals subjected to HIIT, considering hematological, biochemical and histological parameters, redox status, and body mass. Monoolein, GT in infusion and Poloxamer 407 were mixed to obtain nanoparticles of LLC (NP-LLC). Healthy male rats were randomized into six groups (n = 6/group): Control (C), GT, GT-NP-LLC, Exercise (Ex), GT+Ex, GT-NP-LLC+Ex. Body weight was significantly lower in all groups subjected to HIIT compared to C. The percentages of body mass reduction were 11.3, 13.0, 10.0 and 11.0% for Ex, GT+Ex, GT-NP-LLC and GT-NP-LLC+Ex, respectively, compared to control. GT-NP-LLC and Ex reduced triglycerides compared to C. GT and GT-NP-LLC supplementation combined with HIIT presented higher muscle hypertrophy (25 and 21%, respectively), better physical conditioning, and reduced body weight gain rate compared to HIIT by itself. Moreover, the effects of GT-NP-LLC itself on body mass and biochemical parameters are promising, suggesting NP-LLC could improve the bioavailability of GT.     

Amelioration of Hepatic Steatosis in Mice through Bacteroides uniformis CBA7346-Mediated Regulation of High-Fat Diet-Induced Insulin Resistance and Lipogenesis

Dietary habits and gut microbiota play an essential role in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and related factors such as insulin resistance and de novo lipogenesis. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of Bacteroides uniformis CBA7346, isolated from the gut of healthy Koreans, on mice with high-fat diet (HFD)-induced NAFLD. Administration of B. uniformis CBA7346 reduced body and liver weight gain, serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels, liver steatosis, and liver triglyceride levels in mice on an HFD; the strain also decreased homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance values, as well as serum cholesterol, triglyceride, lipopolysaccharide, leptin, and adiponectin levels in mice on an HFD. Moreover, B. uniformis CBA7346 controlled fatty liver disease by attenuating steatosis and inflammation and regulating de novo lipogenesis-related proteins in mice on an HFD. Taken together, these findings suggest that B. uniformis CBA7346 ameliorates HFD-induced NAFLD by reducing insulin resistance and regulating de novo lipogenesis in obese mice.     

Intermittent Fasting Improves High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity Cardiomyopathy via Alleviating Lipid Deposition and Apoptosis and Decreasing m6A Methylation in the Heart

Intermittent fasting (IF) plays an essential role in improving lipid metabolism disorders caused by metabolic cardiomyopathy. Growing evidence revealed that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation is related to obesity and lipid metabolic. Our study aimed to assess the beneficial effects of IF on lipid deposition, apoptosis, and m6A methylation in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity cardiomyopathy. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a normal diet (ND) or HFD ad libitum for 13 weeks, after which time a subgroup of HFD mice were subjected to IF for 24 h and fed HFD in the other day for 8 weeks. We found that IF intervention significantly improved cardiac functional and structural impairment and serum lipid metabolic disorder induced by HFD. Furthermore, IF intervention decreased the mRNA levels of the fatty acid uptake genes of FABP1, FATP1, and CD36 and the fatty acid synthesis genes of SREBF1, FAS, and ACCα and increased the mRNA levels of the fatty acid catabolism genes of ATGL, HSL, LAL, and LPL in cardiac tissueof HFD-induced obese mice. TUNEL-positive cells, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and Cleaved Caspase-3 protein expression in HFD-induced obese mice hearts was down-regulated by IF intervention. In addition, IF intervention decreased the m6A methylation levels and METTL3 expression and increased FTO expression in HFD-induced obesity cardiomyopathy. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that IF attenuated cardiac lipid deposition and apoptosis, as well as improved cardiac functional and structural impairment in HFD-induced obesity cardiomyopathy, by a mechanism associated with decreased m6A RNA methylation levels.     

High-Intensity Interval and Resistance Training Improve Health Outcomes in Older Adults With Coronary Disease

ObjectiveBoth high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and resistance exercises (R) are used in cardiac rehabilitation in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the combined effect of an HIIT + R exercise program in older adults with CAD is not well investigated. The study's purpose was to assess the changes in anthropometric parameters, physical activity, functional capacity, physiological parameters, and quality of life (QoL) in this population following a combined HIIT + R program.DesignThe study was a 2-group (n = 45 each) randomized controlled single-blinded trial.Setting and ParticipantsThe study was done at a treatment clinic of a tertiary hospital. The mean age of participants was 69.23 ± 4.9 years. The HIIT + R group performed 8 sessions (1/wk) of HIIT + R training. The 30 minutes of the active exercise phase consisted of ten 3-minute bouts. Each bout comprised of 1 minute of high-intensity treadmill walking at 85% to 90% maximum heart rate (MHR), followed by a low-intensity walking at 60%-70% MHR, followed by low-to moderate-intensity resistance training. The Usual Care group underwent conventional medical treatment.MeasuresAnthropometric measurements [weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, body fat percentage, lean body mass], physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), functional capacity (Incremental Shuttle Walking Test), physiologic measurements (blood pressure, heart rate), and QoL (36-Item Short Form Health Survey) were measured pre- and postintervention.ResultsSignificant group and time interaction were found for the participants in the HIIT + R Group for BMI (P = .001), body fat percentage (P = .001), waist circumference (P < .001), physical activity (P < .001), functional capacity (P < .001), and QoL (P = .001) compared with the UC Group. Significant improvement in systolic blood pressure (P = .001) was seen in the HIIT + R group.Conclusions and ImplicationsA combined HIIT + R training protocol in older adults with CAD can be useful in producing desired health outcomes. Further evaluation of longer duration exercise programs with more frequent dosing needs to be evaluated for their benefits and sustainability.     

The TOTUM-63 Supplement and High-Intensity Interval Training Combination Limits Weight Gain,Improves Glycemic Control,and Influences the Composition of Gut Mucosa-Associated Bacteria in Rats on a High Fat Diet

Obesity and prediabetes are the two strongest risk factors of type 2 diabetes. It has been reported that TOTUM-63, a polyphenol-rich plant extract, has beneficial effects on body weight (BW) and insulin resistance in mice fed a high fat diet (HFD). The study aim was to determine whether high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and/or TOTUM-63 supplementation improved body composition and glycemic control and gut microbiota composition in a Western diet-induced obesity rat model. Wistar rats received a standard diet (CTRL; control; n = 12) or HFD (HFD; n = 48) for 16 weeks. Then, HFD rats were divided in four groups: HFD, HFD + TOTUM-63 (T63), HFD + HIIT (HIIT), and HFD + HIIT +T63 (HIIT + T63). Training was performed 4 days/week for 12 weeks. TOTUM-63 was included in diet composition (2%). The HIIT + T63 combination significantly limited BW gain, without any energy intake modulation, and improved glycemic control. BW variation was correlated with increased α-diversity of the colon mucosa microbiota in the HIIT + T63 group. Moreover, the relative abundance of Anaeroplasma, Christensenellaceae and Oscillospira was higher in the HIIT + T63 group. Altogether, these results suggest that the HIIT and TOTUM-63 combination could be proposed for the management of obesity and prediabetes.     

Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus L.) Supplementation Attenuates the Development of Metabolic Inflammation in a High-Fat Diet Mouse Model of Obesity

Metabolic diseases linked to obesity are an increasing problem globally. They are associated with systemic inflammation, which can be triggered by nutrients such as saturated fatty acids. Cloudberry is rich in ellagitannin and its derivatives, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. In the present study, a high-fat-diet-induced mouse model of obesity was used to study the effects of air-dried cloudberry powder on weight gain, systemic inflammation, lipid and glucose metabolism, and changes in gene expression in hepatic and adipose tissues. Cloudberry supplementation had no effect on weight gain, but it prevented the rise in the systemic inflammation marker serum amyloid A (SAA) and the hepatic inflammation/injury marker alanine aminotransferase (ALT), as well as the increase in the expression of many inflammation-related genes in the liver and adipose tissue, such as Mcp1, Cxcl14, Tnfa, and S100a8. In addition, cloudberry supplementation impeded the development of hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia. The results indicate that cloudberry supplementation helps to protect against the development of metabolic inflammation and provides partial protection against disturbed lipid and glucose metabolism. These results encourage further studies on the effects of cloudberry and cloudberry-derived ellagitannins and support the use of cloudberries as a part of a healthy diet to prevent obesity-associated metabolic morbidity.     

Effects of 8-Week Online,Supervised High-Intensity Interval Training on the Parameters Related to the Anaerobic Threshold,Body Weight,and Body Composition during Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

We aimed to assess the effects of an 8-week, online high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program on the parameters related to the anaerobic threshold (AT), body weight, and body composition in pregnant women. A total of 69 Caucasian women with an uncomplicated singleton pregnancy (age: 31 ± 4 years; gestational age: 22 ± 5 weeks; mean ± standard deviation) were randomly allocated to either an 8-week HIIT program (HIIT group) or to a comparative 8-week educational program (EDU group). Our most important finding was that even with the 8-week progression of pregnancy and physiological weight gain, the HIIT group maintained the same level of parameters related to AT: volume of oxygen at the AT (VO₂/AT), percentage of maximal oxygen uptake at the AT (%VO_2max/AT), and heart rate at the AT (HR/AT). In contrast, in the EDU group we observed a substantial deterioration of parameters related to the AT. The HIIT intervention substantially reduced the fat mass percentage (median: 30 to 28%; p < 0.01) and improved the total fat-free mass percentage (median: 70% to 72%; p < 0.01). In the EDU group, the body composition did not change significantly. An online, supervised HIIT program may be used to prevent the pregnancy-related risk of excessive weight gain and reduction in exercise capacity without yielding adverse obstetric or neonatal outcomes.     

Lactobacillus sakei ADM14 Induces Anti-Obesity Effects and Changes in Gut Microbiome in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice

The aim of our study was to evaluate the anti-obesity effects of Lactobacillus sakei (L. sakei) ADM14 administration in a high-fat diet-induced obese mouse model and the resulting changes in the intestinal microbiota. Prior to in vivo testing, L. sakei ADM14 was shown to inhibit adipogenesis through in vitro test and genetic analysis. Subsequently, mice were orally administered 0.85% saline supplemented or not with L. sakei ADM14 to high-fat diet group and normal diet group daily. The results showed that administration of L. sakei ADM14 reduced weight gain, epididymal fat expansion, and total blood cholesterol and glucose levels, and significantly decreased expression of lipid-related genes in the epididymal fat pad. Administration of L. sakei ADM14 showed improvement in terms of energy harvesting while restoring the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio and also increased the relative abundance of specific microbial taxa such as Bacteroides faecichinchillae and Alistipes, which are abundant in non-obese people. L. sakei ADM14 affected the modulation of gut microbiota, altered the strain profile of short-chain fatty acid production in the cecum and enhanced the stimulation of butyrate production. Overall, L. sakei ADM14 showed potential as a therapeutic probiotic supplement for metabolic disorders, confirming the positive changes of in vivo indicators and controlling gut microbiota in a high-fat diet-induced obese mouse model.     

Distinct Effects of High-Fat and High-Phosphate Diet on Glucose Metabolism and the Response to Voluntary Exercise in Male Mice

The prevalence of metabolic diseases is rapidly increasing and a principal contributor to this is diet, including increased consumption of energy-rich foods and foods with added phosphates. Exercise is an effective therapeutic approach to combat metabolic disease. While exercise is effective to combat the detrimental effects of a high-fat diet on metabolic health, the effects of exercise on a high-phosphate diet have not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we investigated the effects of a high-fat or high-phosphate diet in the presence or absence of voluntary exercise on metabolic function in male mice. To do this, mice were fed a low-fat, normal-phosphate diet (LFPD), a high-phosphate diet (HPD) or a high-fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks and then subdivided into either sedentary or exercised (housed with running wheels) for an additional 8 weeks. An HFD severely impaired metabolic function in mice, increasing total fat mass and worsening whole-body glucose tolerance, while HPD did not induce any notable effects on glucose metabolism. Exercise reverted most of the detrimental metabolic adaptations induced by HFD, decreasing total fat mass and restoring whole-body glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Interestingly, voluntary exercise had a similar effect on LFPD and HPD mice. These data suggest that a high-phosphate diet does not significantly impair glucose metabolism in sedentary or voluntary exercised conditions.     

Effects of Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) Supplementation on Hepatic Gene Expression in High-Fat Diet Fed Mice

The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is growing worldwide in association with Western-style diet and increasing obesity. Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) is rich in polyphenols and has been shown to attenuate adverse metabolic changes in obese liver. This paper investigated the effects of lingonberry supplementation on hepatic gene expression in high-fat diet induced obesity in a mouse model. C57BL/6N male mice were fed for six weeks with either a high-fat (HF) or low-fat (LF) diet (46% and 10% energy from fat, respectively) or HF diet supplemented with air-dried lingonberry powder (HF + LGB). HF diet induced a major phenotypic change in the liver, predominantly affecting genes involved in inflammation and in glucose and lipid metabolism. Lingonberry supplementation prevented the effect of HF diet on an array of genes (in total on 263 genes) associated particularly with lipid or glucose metabolic process (such as Mogat1, Plin4, Igfbp2), inflammatory/immune response or cell migration (such as Lcn2, Saa1, Saa2, Cxcl14, Gcp1, S100a10) and cell cycle regulation (such as Cdkn1a, Tubb2a, Tubb6). The present results suggest that lingonberry supplementation prevents HF diet-induced adverse changes in the liver that are known to predispose the development of NAFLD and its comorbidities. The findings encourage carrying out human intervention trials to confirm the results, with the aim of recommending the use of lingonberries as a part of healthy diet against obesity and its hepatic and metabolic comorbidities.     

Beneficial Effects of High Intensity Interval Training and/or Linseed Oil Supplementation to Limit Obesity-Induced Oxidative Stress in High Fat Diet-Fed Rats

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and linseed oil (LO) supplementation are effective strategies to reduce obesity-induced oxidative stress. Our aim was to determine whether the HIIT + LO combination prevents obesity-induced oxidative stress in high fat diet (HFD)-fed rats. HFD-fed 8-week-old, male, Wistar rats were subdivided in four groups: HFD, LO (2% of sunflower oil replaced with 2% of LO in the HFD), HIIT (4 days/week for 12 weeks), and HIIT + LO. Wistar rats fed a low-fat diet (LFD) were used as controls. Epididymal and subcutaneous adipose tissue, gastrocnemius muscle, liver, and plasma samples were collected to measure oxidative stress markers (AOPP, oxLDL), antioxidant (SOD, CAT, and GPx activities) and pro-oxidant (NOx and XO) enzyme activities. Compared with the LFD, the HFD altered the pro/antioxidant status in different tissues (increase of AOPP, oxLDL, SOD and catalase activities in plasma, and SOD activity increase in liver and decrease in adipose tissues) but not in gastrocnemius. LO upregulated CAT activity and decreased NOx in liver. HIIT alleviated HFD negative effects in liver by reducing SOD and NOx activities. Moreover, the HIIT + LO combination potentiated SOD activity upregulation in subcutaneous tissue. HIIT and LO supplementation have independent beneficial effects on the pro/antioxidant balance. Their association promotes SOD activity in subcutaneous adipose tissue.