Coconut oil research and CR

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This may be of special interest to CR.

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Energy restriction with high-fat diet enriched with coconut oil

gives higher UCP1 and lower white fat in rats.

Portillo MP, Serra F, Simon E, del Barrio AS, Palou A.

Nutrition and Food Science, University of Basc Country, Vitoria,

Spain.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of overfeeding on a high fat

diet, enriched in coconut oil, and the influence of food restriction

on the uncoupling protein (UCP1) expression and on body fat content.

DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: In experiment I, female Wistar rats were fed ad

libitum either a normal-fat diet (control group, C) or a high-fat

diet (HF), enriched in coconut oil, for 7 weeks. In experiment II,

HF rats after finishing experiment I were fed (for 3 weeks) either

the normal-fat diet (group CAHF, Control After High Fat) or food

restricted diets which provided 60% of the energy intake of group

CAHF: a group fed a low-energy, normal-fat diet (LENF) and another

fed a low-energy, high-fat diet (LEHF). MEASUREMENTS: Body and fatty

depot weights. Food intake. Protein and UCP1 levels of interscapular

brown adipose tissue. RESULTS: High-fat diet feeding promoted an

increase in body fat content, body weight and UCP1 levels. Energy

restriction induced similar body weight reduction in groups LENF and

LEHF. However, some adipose depots were more strongly reduced in the

rats fed the high-fat diet enriched in coconut oil (group LEHF) than

in the rats fed the normal-fat diet (Group LENF). Specific UCP1 was

2.0 (group LENF) and 3.4 (group LEHF) times higher than in controls

(group CAHF).

CONCLUSION: The coconut-oil enriched diet is effective in

stimulating UCP1 expression during ad libitum feeding and in

preventing its down regulation during food restriction, and this

goes hand in hand with a decrease of the white fat stores.

PMID: 9806312 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Obesity Reviews

Volume 1 Issue 2 Page 61 - October 2000

doi:10.1046/j.1467-789x.2000.00009.x

The human uncoupling protein-1 gene (UCP1): present status and

perspectives in obesity research

M. Del Mar -Barroso, D. Ricquier and A.-M. Cassard-Doulcier

Summary

Energy expenditure through brown adipose tissue thermogenesis

contributes either to maintenance of body temperature in a cold

environment or to wasted food energy, i.e. cold-induced or diet-

induced thermogenesis. Both mechanisms are due to a specific and

unique protein: the uncoupling protein-1. Uncoupling protein-1 is

exclusively expressed in mitochondria of brown adipocytes where it

uncouples respiration from ATP synthesis, dissipating the proton

gradient as heat. In humans, although uncoupling protein-1 can be

detected, the inability to quantify brown adipose tissue makes it

difficult to argue for a role for uncoupling protein-1 in

thermogenesis and energy expenditure. This review summarizes data

supporting the existence of brown adipocytes and the role of UCP1 in

energy dissipation in adult humans. Understanding the mechanisms

which regulate transcription and expression of the human UCP1 gene

will facilitate the identification of molecules able to increase the

levels of this protein in order to modulate energy expenditure in

adult humans.