• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.33-39
• /
• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investgate combined effects of L-carnitine supplementation and exercise on body composition, serum lipids and adiponectin in obese high school female students. Eighteen female students with 35% fat in body weight participated in the study. Students were randomly divided into the following three groups; exercise and L-carnitine supplementation group (ELG: n=5), exercise group (EG: n=6) and control group (CG: n=7), each with seven students. They underwent 10 weeks of exercise (50 min/day, 5 times/wk, 10 wk, RPE 11~16). ELG was given L-carnitine (1 g/day), EG and CG were given placebos. Before and after this period, body composition, serum lipids and adiponectin in plasma were measured. The results of the study in the three groups were as follows: Fat mass and %BF were significantly decreased in ELG. On the other hand, free fat mass was significantly increased in ELG, however, other groups showed no changes. Total cholesterol was significantly increased in the control group. High density lipoprotein cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol were not different in the three groups. Triglyceride was significantly decreased in ELG. Adiponectin was significantly increased in ELG. This study demonstrated that exercise and carnitine supplementation have a positive effect on fat mass, %BF, free fat mass and adiponetin. Thus, we can improve proper dietary and training programs for obese students.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.89-96
• /
• 2004

This study is to investigate the effect of dietary mixed protein and L-carnitine supplementation on lipid metabolism in the rats fed high fat diet. Six experimental groups were organized and each group had eight Sprague-Dawley male white rats with the initial weight of around 180g. The six experimental groups were CO(supplemented with casein), CC(supplementedwith casein and cartinine), ISO(supplemented with isolated soy protein), ISC(supplemented with isolated soy protein and cartinine), CIM(supplemented with casein and isolated soy protein), and CIC(supplemented with casein, isolated soy protein and cartinine). Each group was supplemented with the experimental diet for four weeks, and carnitine contained 3efo of the diet. The results were as follows; 1. There was no significant difference in food intake among the experimental groups. The weight increased more significantly in the group supplemented with the mixed protein than in the group supplemented with casein(p<0.05).2. There was weight reduction effect by the supplementation of carnitine(p<0.05), however no weight reduction effect by the supplementation of carnitine was observed in the group supplemented with the mixed protein and isolated soy protein. 3. Food efficiency was lower in the group supplemented with the mixed protein than in the group supplemented with casein (p<0.05), however it was similar in the group supplemented with isolated soy protein.4. Serum total lipid and se겨m total cholesterol were lower in the group supplemented with mixed protein than in the group supplemented with casein(p<0.05). 5. There was no significant difference of serum triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol among the experimental groups. 6. Liver triglyceride was the highest in the group supplemented with mixed protein (p<0.05), and there was no significant difference of liver total lipid and total cholesterol among the experimental groups. 7. In the groups supplemented with mixed protein, the level of liver TBARS showed the lowest when casein was supplemented(p<0.05), and there was no significant difference of GSH-Px activities among the experimental groups. In summary, when mixed protein was supplemented to the rats weight gain and food efficiency were similar with those in the group supplemented with isolated soy protein, however they were lower than those in the group supplemented with casein. The effect of carnitine on weight was not observed in the group supplemented with mixed protein and isolated soy protein, however it was observed in the group supplemented with casein. Serum Total lipid and total cholesterol were lower than those in the group supplemented with casein. Liver total triglyceride was high in the group supplemented with mixed protein, and the antioxidant effect was observed in the group supplemented with mixed protein.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.38 no.8
• /
• pp.626-636
• /
• 2005

This study was undertaken to examine effects of dietary intake of garcinia cambogia extract, soy peptide and L-carnitine mixture on body weight gain and obesity-related bio-markers in rats fed high-fat diet for 9 weeks with or without regular treadmill exercise. Forty 5-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups; sedentary control group (SC), exercised control group (EC), sedentary formula-fed group (SF), and exercised formula-fed group (EF). The SC and EC rats were fed high-fat control diet (fat comprises$40\%$ of total caloris), and SF and EF rats were fed high-fat formula (composed of garcinia cambogia, soy peptide and L-carnitine) supplemented diet. Statistical analyses by two-way ANOVA indicated that the regular treadmill exercise significantly lowered cumulative body weight gain, total visceral fat mass, and epididymal, perirenal and retroperitoneal fat pad weights, and serum concentrations of total cholesterol and LDL + VLDL cholesterol, insulin, c-peptide and leptin. Feeding the formula also resulted in significant reductions in cumulative body weight gain and visceral fat pad weights, along with other related parameters including serum total and LDL + VLDL cholesterol levels, and hepatic enzyme activities involved in fatty acid synthesis. Statistical analyses by one-way ANOVA revealed that the formula consumption significantly improved body weight gain ($18\%$ reduction), total visceral fat weight ($20\%$ reductions), and serum total ($43\%$ reduction) and LDL + VLDL cholesterol ($54\%$ reduction) levels, as well as serum levels of insulin ($49\%$ reduction), and c-peptide ($41\%$ reduction) in sedentary rats, but failed to exhibit significant reductions in these indices in animals under treadmill exercise program. Taken together, these results suggest that the treadmill exercise per n exhibited significant improvements in body fat reduction and other related bio-markers, and so the formula consumption did not achieve a further significant reductions in these bio-markers in exercised rats. Nevertheless, animals fed the formula with regular exercise showed the most efficient weight reduction compared to other groups either fed formula without exercise or received regular exercise without dietary supplementation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.194-203
• /
• 2005

This study was peformed to investigate effect of feeding experimental mixture containing chitosan, hibiscus extract and L-carnitine on body weight and lipid metabolism in rats. Forty-eight male rats(Charles River CD) of eight weeks old and weighing $336.5{\pm}2.3g$ were raised for five weeks with high fat diet(40% fat as calorie) to induce obesity. After induction of obesity, rats weighing $560.4{\pm}5.6g$ were blocked into four groups according to body weight and raised for eight weeks with diet containing either 0.09%(+1D group), 0.9%(+10D group) or 4.5%(+50D group) of experimental mixture. Aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT), total protein and albumin were normal levels in plasma. Body weight gain and epididymal fat pad weight were lower in experimental mixture groups than control group However, weights of perirenal fat pad and brown adipose tissue were not significantly different among all groups. There was no significant difference in plasma and hepatic lipid levels among all groups. Liver citrate lyase and camitine acyltransferase activities were not significantly different among all groups, however, citrate lyase activity was tended to be decreased with increasing experimental mixture level in diet. Fecal total lipid and total cholesterol excretions were highest in +50D group, and triglyceride excretion was highest in +1D group. in conclusion, intake of experimental mixture containing chitosan, hibiscus extract and L-camitine was effective in reducing body weight and body fat, and its inhibitory effects might lead to obesity improvement.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.173-178
• /
• 2009

This study was conducted to determine if supplementation with a compound composed of caffeine (50 mg), capsaicin (75 mg), sesamine (30 mg), L-carnitine (300 mg), banaba (50 mg) and lotus (10 mg) enhanced human autonomic nervous activities (ANS) associated with thermogenic sympathetic activity and fat utilization. Ten healthy college males (21.2$\pm$1.0 yr) volunteered for this experiment. Autonomic nervous activities associated with energy metabolism were examined at 30 min intervals for a total of 120-min while at rest and every 5-min during exercise at 50% of the ventilation threshold before and after intake of the compound or placebo with 100 ml of water for 10 days. In addition, heart rate variability power spectral analysis was used to assess human autonomic nervous activities. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in heart rate during rest and exercise among trials. Furthermore, the autonomic nervous activity tended to increase after 10-days of consumption of the test compounds during the experimental period, but the differences did not reach statistical significance. However, before and after the compound test trial there was a significantly higher respiratory gas exchange ratio (rest 0: 0.83$\pm$0.01 vs. rest 3: 0.89$\pm$0.02, p<0.05), carbohydrate oxidation (CHO) rate (rest 0: 44.57$\pm$5.83 vs. rest 2: 63.86$\pm$5.91%, p<0.05) and a lower fat oxidation rate (rest 0: 55.43$\pm$5.83 vs. rest 2: 36.14$\pm$5.91%, p<0.05. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that the compound composed of caffeine, capsaicin, sesamine, L-carnitine, banaba and lotus components that was evaluated in this study did not induce a significant increase in human autonomic nervous activities or lipolysis, even though the individual components have been reported to induce increased fat oxidation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.99-108
• /
• 2003

Background: There is abundance of studies on the decrease in body fat through limited calorie intake or exercise; however, studies focusing simultaneously on functional foods and exercise are rare. This study was aimed to identify the effects of combination of a functional beverage and exercise on body composition and biochemical metabolic profiles. Method: Eighty-one healthy volunteers (69 females aged 19 to 50 years and 12 males aged 19 to 55 years), who maintained their body weight stable with 23 or higher in BMI (kg/$m^2$) and 25% or higher body fat for the last three months, were recruited in the study through written advertisement. All the subjects gave their informed consent, and the study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The study design was a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled parallel group design. All participants were given 12-week programed-exercise, which was performed 3 times a week. One bottle (100 ml) of test (Garcinia cambogia 300 mg, L-carnitine 20 mg, Soy peptide 1,000 mg) or placebo solution was given daily 30 min before each session of programed-exercise. BMI (body mass index), %fat, local fat amount (visceral and mid-thigh), waist circumference, skin fold thickness and some biochemical metabolic parameters like glucose, insulin and free fatty acids, etc in the blood were measured and compared before and after 12-week intervention within groups as well as between groups according to the protocol Results: Twenty six volunteers were dropped out and fifty five volunteers completed the study. At the end of 4, 8, and 12 weeks, approximately 1.98%, 3.00% and 3.50% losses of initial body weight were observed, respectively, in the test group (P<0.01), and 0.29, % ,0.74%, 1.60%, respectively, in the placebo group (P>0.05). BMI changed by 2.40%, 3.41% and 4.46%, respectively, in the test group, and 0.38%, 0.95% and 1.75%, respectively, in the placebo group, at each period of time. The reductions of body weight and BMI were significantly higher in the test group than in the placebo group at each period of time (P<0.05). Conclusions: It is thought that the combination of functional beverage, which contains mostly garcinia cambogia, L-carnitine, and soy peptide, and exercise have synergy effects on reducing body fat.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.27 no.7
• /
• pp.996-1002
• /
• 2014

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary alpha-lipoic acid (LA) and acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) on growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality in Arbor Acres broilers. A total of 486 1-d-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly allocated to 9 dietary treatments, 9 treatments were group A (0 mg/kg LA and 0 mg/kg ALC), group B (50 mg/kg LA and 0 mg/kg ALC), group C (100 mg/kg LA and 0 mg/kg ALC), group D (0 mg/kg LA and 50 mg/kg ALC), group E (50 mg/kg LA and 50 mg/kg ALC), group F (100 mg/kg LA and 50 mg/kg ALC), group G (0 mg/kg LA and 100 mg/kg ALC), group H (50 mg/kg LA and 100 mg/kg ALC), group I (100 mg/kg LA and 100 mg/kg ALC). Birds were slaughtered at 42 days old. Average daily gain (ADG), average feed intake (AFI), feed conversion rate (FCR), eviscerated rate, breast muscle percentage, thigh muscle percentage, abdominal fat percentage, liver weight, muscle color ($L^*$ value, $a^*$ value, $b^*$ value), pH values at 45 min and 24 h postmortem were measured. Results showed that there existed an interaction between LA and ALC in growth performance of broilers, carcass traits and meat quality. The overall result is that high level of LA and ALC led to lower AFI, ADG (p<0.01), lower abdominal fat percentage, liver weight (p<0.01), lower $L^*$ value, $a^*$ value, and $b^*$ value of breast muscle, $L^*$ value of thigh muscle (p<0.05), and higher FCR (p<0.01), eviscerated rate (p<0.01), breast muscle percentage, thigh muscle percentage (p<0.05), $a^*$ value, pH 45 min and pH 24 h of thigh muscle (p<0.01). These results suggested that dietary LA and ALC contributed to the improvement of meat quality in broilers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.503-513
• /
• 2007

The obese population has been increasing worldwide and obesity has become one of the socioeconomic problems. Obesity raises more concerns as more studies regarding its direct and indirect relativity to several diseases such as type II diabetes, hypertension, etc. are published. Since leptin, an important signal in the chronic control of food intake and energy expenditure, was discovered in 1994, there has been a great accumulation of knowledge on fighting obesity by facilitating pharmacological and nutritional strategies on the molecular level of the body weight control system. In particular, evidences are accumulating that particular food components affect our physiological function and gene expressions which are associated with body weight control. In this study, we review the four mechanisms for weight control and antiobesity functional agents such as HCA, L-carnitine, CLA, chitosan, calcium supplements capsaicin contained in red pepper, and oriental herbal mixture. We also describe about the efficacy and working mechanism of these functional agents on the basis of antiobesity mechanisms.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.56 no.6
• /
• pp.641-654
• /
• 2023

Purpose: Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) contains abounding phytochemicals, such as polyphenols and anthocyanins, and has antioxidative effects. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a crucial regulator in enhancing the lipid metabolism. This study hypothesized that the intake of sour cherry affects AMPK signaling. Therefore, this study examined whether sour cherry regulates AMPK to balance the hepatic lipid metabolism and exert ameliorating effects. Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice had obesity induced with a 45% fat diet. The mice were divided into four groups: control (CON), high-fat diet (HFD), low percentage sour cherry powder (LSC), and high percentage sour cherry powder (HSC). The mice in the sour cherry groups were fed 1% sour cherry or 5% sour cherry in their respective diets for 12 weeks. Results: The body weight, visceral fat weight, and lipid droplet size significantly decreased in the treatment groups. The serum and hepatic triglyceride and total cholesterol levels improved significantly in the HSC group. The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were also reduced significantly, whereas the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were increased significantly in both treatment groups. The sterol regulator binding protein-1c and fatty acid synthase expression levels as fatty acid synthesis-related enzymes were significantly lower in the treatment groups than in the high-fat diet group. Furthermore, the adipose triglyceride lipase and hormone-sensitive lipase expression levels as lipolytic enzyme activity and AMPK/acetyl-CoA carboxylase/carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 as fatty acid β-oxidation-related pathway were upregulated significantly in both sour cherry groups. Conclusions: These results show that sour cherry intake improves hepatic lipid synthesis and chronic diseases by activating AMPK signaling. Therefore, this study suggests that phytochemical-rich sour cherry can be developed as a healthy functional food.