Abstract
Increased seaweed consumption may be linked to the lower incidence of metabolic syndrome in eastern Asia. This study investigated the responses to two tropical green seaweeds, Ulva ohnoi (UO) and Derbesia tenuissima (DT), in a rat model of human metabolic syndrome. Male Wistar rats (330–340 g) were fed either a corn starch-rich diet or a high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet with 25% fructose in drinking water, for 16 weeks. High-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-fed rats showed the signs of metabolic syndrome leading to abdominal obesity, cardiovascular remodelling and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Food was supplemented with 5% dried UO or DT for the final 8 weeks only. UO lowered total final body fat mass by 24%, systolic blood pressure by 29 mmHg, and improved glucose utilisation and insulin sensitivity. In contrast, DT did not change total body fat mass but decreased plasma triglycerides by 38% and total cholesterol by 17%. UO contained 18.1% soluble fibre as part of 40.9% total fibre, and increased magnesium, while DT contained 23.4% total fibre, essentially as insoluble fibre. UO was more effective in reducing metabolic syndrome than DT, possibly due to the increased intake of soluble fibre and magnesium.
Highlights
Obesity, defined as excess body fat, is a major health-care problem that increases the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders such as hypertension, ischaemic stroke, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinaemia and dyslipidaemia [1,2]
We have demonstrated the ability of two tropical seaweeds that can be grown commercially, Ulva ohnoi (UO) and Derbesia tenuissima (DT), to attenuate or normalise a range of metabolic syndromes in rats that were induced using a diet with increased simple sugars and saturated fats [20,21,22]
We suggest that the high soluble fibre content of UO could increase gastrointestinal viscosity and inhibit intestinal absorption of fatty acids more effectively than DT, leading to the decreased total body fat mass with UO but not DT
Summary
Obesity, defined as excess body fat, is a major health-care problem that increases the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders such as hypertension, ischaemic stroke, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinaemia and dyslipidaemia [1,2]. Current treatment of obesity is aimed at modifying dietary habits, lowering calorie and fat intake, and increasing exercise to increase calorie expenditure [3,4], rather than drugs. Seaweeds possess anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-obesity, anti-hyperlipidaemic and anti-inflammatory activities [8]. Seaweeds may prevent diet-induced cardiovascular disease as an alternative source of dietary fibre [9]. Fibre is the largest component of the seaweed biomass [10,11] and may be present in sufficient amounts when included in the diet to prevent metabolic syndrome associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular complications [12]. Seaweeds are typically low in fat (
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