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Effects of dietary fat modification on skeletal muscle fatty acid handling in the metabolic syndrome

International Journal of Obesity volume 34, pages 859–870 (2010)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective:

In the metabolic syndrome (MetS), increased fat storage in ‘nonadipose’ tissues such as skeletal muscle may be related to insulin resistance (‘lipid overflow’ hypothesis). The objective of this study was to examine the effects of dietary fat modification on the capacity of skeletal muscle to handle dietary and endogenous fatty acids (FAs).

Subjects and Methods:

In total, 29 men with the MetS were randomly assigned to one of four diets for 12 weeks: a high-fat saturated fat diet (HSFA, n=6), a high-fat monounsaturated fat diet (HMUFA, n=7) and two low-fat high-complex carbohydrate diets supplemented with (LFHCCn−3, n=8) or without (LFHCC, n=8) 1.24 g per day docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acid. Fasting and postprandial skeletal muscle FA handling was examined by measuring arteriovenous concentration differences across the forearm muscle. [2H2]-palmitate was infused intravenously to label endogenous triacylglycerol (TAG) and free fatty acids in the circulation and subjects received a high-fat mixed meal (2.6 MJ, 61 energy% fat) containing [U-13C]-palmitate to label chylomicron-TAG.

Results:

Postprandial circulating TAG concentrations were significantly lower after dietary intervention in the LFHCCn−3 group compared to the HSFA group (ΔiAUC −139±67 vs 167±70 μmol l−1 min−1, P=0.009), together with decreased concentrations of [U-13C]-labeled TAG, representing dietary FA. Fasting TAG clearance across forearm muscle was decreased on the HSFA diet, whereas no differences were observed in postprandial forearm muscle FA handling between diets.

Conclusion:

Chronic manipulation of dietary fat quantity and quality did not affect forearm muscle FA handling in men with the MetS. Postprandial TAG concentrations decreased on the LFHCCn−3 diet, which could be (partly) explained by lower concentration of dietary FA in the circulation.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all volunteers for their time and motivation, and all researchers within the LIPGENE Human Dietary Intervention Study for their work and dedication to the project. We also thank J Stegen, W Sluijsmans, H Aydeniz, R Jacobs and A Gijsen for their excellent analytical support, and M Ockeloen-Van der Hulst, T Hermans-Limpens, D Mintjens, P Goyens, N Jansink and A van de Loo for their excellent practical support and dietary advice. This work was part of the LIPGENE project, an EU Sixth Framework Integrated Program funded by the European Community (Contract No. FOOD-CT-2003-505944). Full project title: ‘Diet, genomics and the metabolic syndrome: an integrated nutrition, agro-food, social and economic analysis.’ Trial Number: NCT00429195 (ClincialTrials.gov).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Biology, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    A M J van Hees, W H M Saris, G B Hul & E E Blaak

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    N C Schaper

  3. Department of Anesthesiology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    B E Timmerman

  4. Department of Food Biosciences, Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, University of Reading, Reading, UK

    J A Lovegrove

  5. Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK

    J A Lovegrove

  6. Nutrigenomics Research Group, UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland

    H M Roche

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van Hees, A., Saris, W., Hul, G. et al. Effects of dietary fat modification on skeletal muscle fatty acid handling in the metabolic syndrome. Int J Obes 34, 859–870 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2010.6

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