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The combination of resveratrol and conjugated linoleic acid is not useful in preventing obesity

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Abstract

Scientific research is constantly looking for new molecules to be used as functional ingredients to combat obesity. The aim of the present study was to analyse whether resveratrol and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) together could reduce body fat more efficiently than their separate administration. Thirty-six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: controls rats (C), rats treated with resveratrol (RSV), rats treated with CLA (CLA) and rats treated with a combination of resveratrol and CLA (RSV+CLA). All rats were fed on an obesogenic diet. In RSV and RSV+CLA groups, the rats received 30 mg resveratrol/kg body weight/day. In CLA and RSV+CLA groups, an equimolecular mixture of trans-10,cis-12 and cis-9,trans-11 was added to the diet to reach 0.5% of the active isomer trans-10,cis-12. After 6 weeks of treatment, white adipose tissue from different anatomical locations was dissected and weighed. Serum triacylglycerols, total and HDL cholesterols, glucose, insulin, fructosamine and TNF-α were measured. A glucose tolerance test was also performed. Separately, resveratrol and CLA significantly reduced body fat but did not do so when combined: 20% in the RSV group and 18% in CLA group but 7% in the RSV+CLA group. Resveratrol reduced serum triacylglycerols. No differences were found among groups in serum cholesterol. Resveratrol, as well as the combination RSV+CLA, improved glycaemic control. These results demonstrate that the combination RSV+CLA reduces the effectiveness of each compound on body fat-lowering action, but it maintains the positive effect of resveratrol on glycaemic control. Consequently, this combination has no usefulness in obesity prevention.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (AGL2008-01005-ALI), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (RETIC PREDIMED) and Gobierno Vasco (GIC 07/120-IT-265-07). Resveratrol was a generous gift from Monteloeder (Elche, Alicante, Spain) and CLA from Lipid Nutrition (Wormerveer, The Netherlands). N. Arias is a recipient of a doctoral fellowship from the Gobierno Vasco.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of País Vasco, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria, Spain

    Noemi Arias, Maria Teresa Macarulla, Leixuri Aguirre, María Guadalupe Martínez-Castaño, Saioa Gómez-Zorita, Jonatan Miranda & María Puy Portillo

  2. RETIC PREDIMED, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Victoria, Spain

    Noemi Arias, Maria Teresa Macarulla, Leixuri Aguirre, Saioa Gómez-Zorita, Jonatan Miranda, José Alfredo Martínez & María Puy Portillo

  3. Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory, Txagorritxu Hospital, c/ José Achóegui s/n, 01008, Vitoria, Spain

    María Guadalupe Martínez-Castaño

  4. Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Physiology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Navarra, c/ Irunlarrea s/n, 31008, Pamplona, Spain

    José Alfredo Martínez

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  1. Noemi Arias
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Correspondence to Maria Teresa Macarulla.

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Arias, N., Macarulla, M.T., Aguirre, L. et al. The combination of resveratrol and conjugated linoleic acid is not useful in preventing obesity. J Physiol Biochem 67, 471–477 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13105-011-0086-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13105-011-0086-2

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