Researchers from the University of Florida report that gamma-tocotrienol from red palm oil accumulates in adipose tissues, slowing down high-fat diet-induced obesity and improving insulin sensitivity in mice by inhibiting adipose inflammation.
In the new study, Dr. SK Chung and her team investigated the effects of gamma-tocotrienol on early onset obesity, inflammation, and insulin resistance in mice. The mice were randomly assigned to three different diet groups – low fat (LF), high fat (HF) with 60% calories from fat, or HF mixed with 0.05% gamma-tocotrienol, one of eight different compounds that make up natural vitamin E. Measurements of gamma-tocotrienol concentrations in blood and adipose tissue; effects of gamma-tocotrienol on body weight gain, adipose volume, fasting blood glucose, insulin level and various inflammatory biomarkers were recorded.
Results showed that after 4 weeks of supplementation, gamma-tocotrienol significantly accumulated in adipose tissue and decreased HF diet-induced weight gain. In addition, gamma-tocotrienol improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity; reduced inflammation in adipose tissue and at systemic levels; and lastly, decreased macrophage M1 activation.
In her previous study, Dr. Chung showed that low concentration (1 microMolar) of gamma-tocotrienol inhibits adipogenesis in primary human adipose-derived stem cells via activation of AMP kinase and autophagy.
Source: Gamma-tocotrienol attenuates high-fat diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance by inhibiting adipose inflammation and M1 macrophage recruitment, L Zhao, I Kang, X Fang, W Wang, M A Lee, R R Hollins, M R Marshall and S Chung, International Journal of Obesity, doi:10.1038/ijo.2014.124.
Journal Link: http://bit.ly/1wLbSFk
