Low-carbohydrate high-fat diets in combination with daily exercise in rats: Effects on body weight regulation, body composition and exercise capacity

Feb 21, 2012Physiology & behavior

How low-carb high-fat diets with daily exercise affect weight, body fat, and fitness in rats

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Abstract

Rats on a low-carbohydrate high-fat diet (LC-HFD) showed a significant lack of body weight gain compared to those on a standard chow diet.

Despite consuming the same calories and engaging in identical exercise, LC-HFD rats did not gain weight (p<0.05).
Body composition analysis revealed increased fat mass in LC-HFD rats (p<0.01).
Leptin levels were higher in LC-HFD rats (p<0.05), while IGF-I levels were lower (p<0.01).
Exercise performance, measured by time to exhaustion, remained unchanged in LC-HFD rats compared to controls (p>0.05).
Both adolescent and mature rats performed similarly in exercise tests regardless of diet.

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BACKGROUND: The aim of the current investigation was to examine the effects of consuming a low-carbohydrate high-fat diet (LC-HFD) in combination with daily exercise on body weight, body composition, endocrine control of the energy balance system and exercise capacity in adolescent and mature rats.

METHOD: Adolescent (n=23) and mature rats (n=16) were maintained on either a standard chow diet (CH) or a LC-HFD for a period of ten days prior to daily exercise training for 21 days in forced running wheel system. At the end of the 21 day training sessions all rats took part in an exercise performance test where time to exhaustion was measured.

RESULTS: Rats maintained on the LC-HFD demonstrated a significant lack of body weight gain (p<0.05) compared to CH maintained rats, despite equicaloric intake and performing identical amounts of daily exercise. Body composition was significantly altered in the LC-HFD rats (p<0.05) with increased body fat (p<0.01). Leptin concentrations were higher (p<0.05) and IGF-I concentrations were lower (p<0.01) in the LC-HFD fed rats. Exercise performance was not diminished in the LC-HFD group despite the higher fat mass. Both groups irrespective of age performed equally as well in the time to exhaustion test (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Maintenance on the LC-HFD in combination with forced daily exercise did not impact exercise capacity (total distance and meters per minute). Additionally consumption of an extreme LC-HFD in combination with daily exercise resulted in significantly less body weight gain but increased fat mass. When combined with daily exercise this diet clearly had a negative impact on body composition, but did not affect exercise capacity.

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Low-carbohydrate high-fat diets in combination with daily exercise in rats: Effects on body weight regulation, body composition and exercise capacity

Abstract

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