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Postprandial insulin response and mitochondrial oxidation in obese men nutritionally treated to lose weight

Abstract

Obesity, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance have been associated to an oxidative mitochondrial dysfunction. The aim of this research was to evaluate the relation between carbohydrate metabolism and mitochondrial oxidation, as affected by the weight status and the weight loss induced by a calorie-restricted diet. Lean control men (BMI<25 kg/m2, n=6) and obese men (BMI>30 kg/m2, n=14), who were characterized as insulin resistant (n=6) or insulin sensitive (n=8) based on HOMA index values, participated in the trial. Plasma insulin levels and mitochondrial oxidation estimated by the 2-keto(1-13C)isocaproate breath test, were measured after ingestion of a test meal during 3 h. Obese subjects repeated the breath test protocol after a 10-week caloric restriction diet to lose weight. Postprandial insulin secretion tended to be marginally higher (P=0.059) in both obese groups than in controls, while the rate of postprandial mitochondrial oxidation was markedly decreased (P=0.019) in the obese subjects as compared with lean individuals. The nutritionally induced weight loss produced a rise in the postprandial oxidative process in volunteers initially considered as insulin resistant (P=0.036), while no statistical differences in the insulin-sensitive obese (P=0.241) were found. Interestingly, the percentage of oxidized tracer was inversely related to postprandial insulin secretion (r=−0.56; P=0.001). In conclusion, these results support the hypothetized relation between carbohydrate metabolism and mitochondrial oxidation at a postprandial state in obese subjects, raising interest about mitochondria stimulation as a target in the therapy of obesity.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Government of Navarra (Public Health and Education Departments) for supporting this work included in the Linea Especial of the University of Navarra. We also like to thank our nurse Salomé Pérez, and our technicians Ana Lorente and Verónica Ciaurriz, as well as the Laboratory of Biochemistry of University Clinic of Navarra, for their excellent technical assistance.

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Correspondence to J A Martínez.

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Guarantor: JA Martínez.

Contributors: MDP (metabolic measurement, experiment control and data processing), BEM (recruitment, clinical assessment and data collection).

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Parra, M., de Morentin, B. & Martínez, J. Postprandial insulin response and mitochondrial oxidation in obese men nutritionally treated to lose weight. Eur J Clin Nutr 59, 334–340 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602078

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