Desaturation of skeletal muscle structural and depot lipids in obese individuals during a very-low-calorie diet intervention.

Steen B Haugaard, Allan Vaag, Carl-Erik Høy, Sten Madsbad

17 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated whether a very-lowcalorie dietary intervention (VLCD) may influence composition of skeletal muscle cell membrane phospholipid and composition and concentration of intramyocellular triglyceride (IMTG) in obese subjects. The working hypothesis proposed that a VLCD would decrease saturated fatty acids (FAs) and increase long-chain polyunsaturated FAs (LCPUFAs) in muscular structural lipids, as such changes have been associated with improved insulin sensitivity. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Skeletal muscle biopsies (vastus lateralis) were obtained from 13 obese subjects (nine women) before and after 8 weeks on VLCD (approximately 600 to 800 kcal/d). FA composition in muscle cell membrane phospholipid and concentration and FA composition of IMTG were determined by gas-liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Baseline BMI was 36.0 +/- 3.4 kg/m2. Weight loss was 9.3 +/- 1.1 kg (8.8 +/- 1.1%; p < 0.0001); loss of adipose tissue was 5.9 +/- 0.9 kg (p < 0.0001). Insulin resistance (by homeostasis model assessment) decreased (-44 +/- 7%; p < 0.001). Muscle cell membrane phospholipid saturated FAs decreased (-3.2 +/- 1.3%; p < 0.05), whereas monounsaturated FAs (4.3 +/- 1.7%; p < 0.05), LCPUFAs (11 +/- 6%; p < 0.05), and the ratio of LCPUFAs to saturated FAs (12 +/- 5%; p < 0.05) increased. IMTG decreased, but not significantly (-5%). IMTG-saturated FAs decreased (-3.3 +/- 1.5%; p < 0.05), whereas LCPUFAn-3 (29 +/- 9%; p < 0.01), LCPUFAn-6 (33 +/- 9%; p < 0.01), and the ratio of LCPUFAs to saturated FAs (34 +/- 8%; p < 0.001) increased. Plasma total cholesterol (-15 +/- 6%; p < 0.05), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (-16 +/- 5%; p < 0.01), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (-8 +/- 2%; p < 0.01), and plasma triglyceride (-19 +/- 12%; p = 0.10) all decreased during the VLCD. DISCUSSION: Desaturation of both muscle cell membrane phospholipid and IMTG was significant but modest during a VLCD in obese subjects. Further research must delineate whether such changes in skeletal muscle structural and depot lipid composition themselves are enough to promote the observed improvements in insulin action.
Original languageEnglish
JournalObesity
Volume15
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)117-25
Number of pages8
ISSN1930-7381
Publication statusPublished - 2007

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Desaturation of skeletal muscle structural and depot lipids in obese individuals during a very-low-calorie diet intervention.'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this