Eicosapentaenoic Acid Reduces ObesityEPA/DHA but Not ALA Reduces Visceral Adiposity and Adipocyte Size in High Fat Diet-Induced Obese Delta-6 Desaturase Knockout Mice.
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In our exploration of omega-3 fatty acids, we aimed to understand how eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), compared to α-linolenic acid (ALA), impacts obesity, particularly in a specific mouse model designed for this purpose. We fed both wildtype and delta-6 desaturase knockout (KO) mice a high-fat diet rich in different fats over a period of 21 weeks. These diets included lard, which contains no omega-3s, flaxseed (rich in ALA), and menhaden fish oil (rich in EPA and docosahexaenoic acid, DHA).
What we found was quite revealing. While the final body weights of the mice did not vary significantly, those fed menhaden oil experienced reduced epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) weight, smaller adipocyte sizes, and lower triacylglycerol (TAG) content compared to those on a lard diet. Interestingly, the eWAT of flaxseed-fed wildtype mice showed similar improvements as those on menhaden oil, but this positive effect did not extend to the KO mice, which exhibited characteristics more similar to the lard group.
It's important to note that despite these differences in adipose characteristics, we did not observe any changes in inflammatory markers between the different groups. This suggests that while a diet enriched in EPA/DHA may help reduce fat storage and cell size, it does not appear to influence inflammatory responses in this particular model of obesity. Overall, this study highlights the specific benefits of EPA/DHA in addressing obesity-related issues without exacerbating inflammation.
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