Fructose causes leptin resistance and more weight gain when fed a high-fat diet

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Thursday, October 16, 2008 6:44 am Email this article
Feeding rats a diet containing 60 percent fructose for six months caused leptin resistance and caused them to gain more weight when at the end of the study they were fed a high-fat diet -- a weight gain of 50 grams in the fructose-fed rats versus 30 grams in rats fed a fructose-free diet -- according to a new study from researchers at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, Florida, USA.

During the first six months, there was no difference in weight or food intake between the two groups.

Leptin resistance was demonstrated by the fact that food intake was reduced in in rats on a fructose-free diet when they were giving a leptin injection, but this was not the case in rats on the high-fructose diet.

Leptin is a hormone produced by fat cells that reduce appetite and, in some animals, increases metabolism. Conclusion

Conclusion: Leptin resistance developed without obesity

“Usually, leptin resistance is associated with obesity, but in this case, leptin resistance developed without obesity,” Alexandra Shapiro was quoted as saying in a press release.

“This was very surprising.”

REFERENCE

Shapiro A, Mu W, Roncal CA, Cheng K-Y, Johnson RJ, Scarpace PJ. Fructose-induced leptin resistance exacerbates weight gain in response to subsequent high fat feeding. Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol. 2008 Aug 13, published on-line.

AUTHOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION

Alexandra Shapiro
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Box 100267
University of Florida College of Medicine
Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA
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