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A low dietary intake of cod protein is sufficient to increase growth, improve serum and tissue fatty acid compositions, and lower serum postprandial glucose and fasting non-esterified fatty acid concentrations in obese Zucker fa/fa rats

European Journal of Nutrition volume 54, pages 1151–1160 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

Studies in rats suggest that fish proteins may improve lipid and glucose regulation and could thus be a potential tool in the treatment of obesity-related comorbidities. To date, all published rat studies on dietary fish protein have been designed with 50 or 100 % of dietary proteins from fish. As it is not common, nor advised, to consume fish as the only protein source in a healthy diet, mechanistic studies on the effects of diets with low dose fish proteins are needed. Here, we investigate whether a low dose of cod protein would affect glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism in obese Zucker fa/fa rats.

Methods

Twelve male obese Zucker fa/fa rats consumed diets where cod proteins accounted for 25 % of the total protein intake with the remaining 75 % from casein (COD) or 100 % of protein as casein (CAS) for 4 weeks.

Results

Rats fed COD achieved a higher body weight without affecting adiposity and thigh muscle mass after 4 weeks, but liver weight and hepatic cholesterol level were higher than in CAS-fed rats. Fasting serum level of non-esterified fatty acids and 2 h postprandial glucose level were lower in COD than in CAS. The fatty acid metabolism was beneficially affected by the COD diet, with e.g., higher ratio of n-3/n-6 PUFAs in serum, liver and adipose tissue when compared to CAS.

Conclusions

A low intake of cod protein (25 % of protein intake) was sufficient to beneficially affect lipid metabolism and postprandial glucose regulation in obese fa/fa rats.

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Acknowledgments

The present research has been supported by funding from the Bergen Medical Research Foundation.

Conflict of interest

I.H. is a minor shareholder in Seagarden AS. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, PO Box 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway

    Aslaug Drotningsvik & Oddrun Anita Gudbrandsen

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

    Svein Are Mjøs

  3. Nofima BioLab, Fyllingsdalen, Norway

    Svein Are Mjøs

  4. Blue Protein, Austevoll, Norway

    Ingmar Høgøy

  5. Nutrimar AS, Trondheim, Norway

    Tore Remman

Authors
  1. Aslaug Drotningsvik
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  2. Svein Are Mjøs
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  3. Ingmar Høgøy
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  4. Tore Remman
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  5. Oddrun Anita Gudbrandsen
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Correspondence to Oddrun Anita Gudbrandsen.

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Drotningsvik, A., Mjøs, S.A., Høgøy, I. et al. A low dietary intake of cod protein is sufficient to increase growth, improve serum and tissue fatty acid compositions, and lower serum postprandial glucose and fasting non-esterified fatty acid concentrations in obese Zucker fa/fa rats. Eur J Nutr 54, 1151–1160 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-014-0793-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-014-0793-x

Keywords

  • Obesity
  • Fish protein
  • Insulin
  • Tumor necrosis factor-alpha
  • Inflammation