March 31, 2009
ISU researchers find compound prevents excess weight gain in mice
Donald Beitz, distinguished professor of animal science and a scientist at the Nutrition and Wellness Research Center, and Gaowei Mao, a graduate student, have found that an antioxidant supplement can reduce the development of oxidative stress and obesity in mice. Michael Spurlock, a professor in food science and human nutrition, helped design the study, which was funded by the Nutrition and Wellness Research Center. |
AMES, Iowa — Research by a team of Iowa State University scientists suggests that a novel antioxidant can reduce the development of obesity by regulating appetite.
Mitovitamin E, a compound synthesized by George Kraus, a university professor of chemistry, prevents excess weight gain by improving mitochondrial function and oxidative stress levels and normalizing appetite, according to research by Donald Beitz, distinguished professor of animal science and a scientist in the Nutrition and Wellness Research Center (NWRC), and Gaowei Mao, a masters student.
From previous studies, the researchers already knew that oxidative stress – an imbalance between antioxidants and free radicals that can damage cellular proteins, membranes, and genes – rises with obesity.
“We hypothesized that elevated oxidative stress in turn contributes to obesity, which consequently results in a vicious cycle of ever-increasing oxidative stress and fat deposition,” said Beitz.
“Whether oxidative stress causes obesity or whether obesity causes oxidative stress is unclear,” added Mao. “It may be a parallel process – not just a cause or just a consequence of obesity.”
Regardless of the order of the process, Beitz and Mao have found that mitovitamin E decreases diet-induced fat deposition by normalizing mitochondrial oxidative stress and function. In their study, designed in collaboration with Michael Spurlock, professor in food science and human nutrition, mice were first fed a high-fat diet to initiate the development of obesity, and were then switched to a low-fat or medium-fat diet with or without mitovitamin E to assess the compound’s effects.
“The mitovitamin E minimized the development of obesity,” Beitz said. “That’s the bottom line of this study, and it’s a good sign. It looks like antioxidant activity may somehow control obesity, meaning that it ultimately controls appetite and makes subjects eat less.”
Whether it’s by targeting overconsumption, insufficient physical activity, or genetic factors, Beitz said that decreasing the rising rate of obesity is a national concern.
“There are just so many health problems associated with obesity,” Beitz said. “The longer a person is obese, the greater the probability of developing Type 2 diabetes and incidences of certain kinds of cancers. It really looks like human health is compromised with obesity, so it’s prudent that we as nutritionists understand the mechanisms by which obesity can be controlled in a way that is easy for people.”
While improved diet and increased exercise are proven methods to weight loss, Beitz noted that they are not exactly “easy.”
“Eating is so much fun, and it’s so easy to overeat calories,” Beitz said. “It would be good if we had some technique for decreasing appetite with a normal, naturally-occurring compound. Mitovitamin E is in its natural state, and our study shows that by decreasing oxidative stress, it can decrease appetite and obesity.”
Mao will present the study’s findings at the Experimental Biology conference, April 18-22, in New Orleans.
Beitz plans to study other antioxidant compounds that might offer benefits that are similar to mitovitamin E.
Beitz and Mao’s study is one of ten small projects funded by a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and awarded by the NWRC last October. The NWRC, which opened at the Iowa State University Research Park in November 2007, is the first facility in Iowa devoted to researching nutrition and its impact on human wellness. For information on other NWRC research, visit www.nwrc.iastate.edu.
Contacts:
Donald Beitz, distinguished professor of animal science and scientist, Nutrition and Wellness Research Center, phone 515 294-5626.
Stacy Ewing-Blount, communications coordinator, Nutrition and Wellness Research Center, 515 294-4853.
Cathy Curtis, communications editor, College of Human Sciences, phone 515 294-8175.
Steve Adams, communications graduate assistant, College of Human Sciences, phone 515 294-9424.
