Low-Fat Diet Designed for Weight Loss But Not Weight Maintenance Improves Nitric Oxide-Dependent Arteriolar Vasodilation in Obese Adults.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether a low-fat diet designed for weight loss (LFWL) improves microvascular function, specifically nitric oxide-dependent vasodilation, compared to a low-fat weight maintenance (LFWM) diet, independent of weight loss.
Results Summary
The LFWL diet improved flow-induced and acetylcholine-induced dilation in microvessels, with the effect being inhibited by L-NAME, indicating increased vascular nitric oxide contribution. The LFWM diet had no effect on microvascular reactivity. Neither diet altered serum nitric oxide or C-reactive protein levels.
Population
Obese adults (n = 21, with 11 in LFWL and 10 in LFWM groups).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Six weeks
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
low-fat diet | increase | cardiovascular risk | - | - | improves | #1 |
low-fat diets designed for weight loss (LFWL) | increase | nitric oxide (NO)-dependent vasodilation in microvessels | Obese adults | - | improved | #2 |
LFWL diet | increase | flow-induced dilation (FID) | Obese adults | - | increased | #3 |
LFWL diet | increase | ACh-induced dilation (AChID) | Obese adults | - | increased | #4 |
L-NAME | decrease | effect of LFWL diet on flow-induced and ACh-induced dilation | Obese adults | - | inhibited | #5 |
low-fat weight maintenance (LFWM) diet | no change | FID or AChID | Obese adults | - | did not affect | #6 |
Indomethacin | increase | FID and AChID | Obese adults | - | improved | #7 |
both diets (LFWL and LFWM) | decrease | effect of indomethacin on FID and AChID | Obese adults | - | minimized | #8 |
LFWL diet | no change | Serum NO | Obese adults | - | did not change | #9 |
LFWM diet | no change | Serum NO | Obese adults | - | did not change | #10 |
LFWL diet | no change | Serum CRP | Obese adults | - | did not change | #11 |
LFWM diet | no change | Serum CRP | Obese adults | - | did not change | #12 |
LFWL diet | increase | microvascular reactivity | Obese adults | - | improves | #13 |
LFWL diet | increase | vascular NO contribution to the improved microvascular dilation | Obese adults | - | increased | #14 |
weight reduction on low fat diet | increase | microvascular health | - | - | is critical for | #15 |
Obesity is associated with microvascular dysfunction. While low-fat diet improves cardiovascular risk, its contributions on microvascular function, independent of weight loss, is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that nitric oxide (NO)-dependent vasodilation in microvessels is improved by low-fat diets designed for weight loss (LFWL) compared to low-fat weight maintenance (LFWM) diet. Obese adults were randomly assigned to either a LFWL diet (n = 11) or LFWM diet (n = 10) for six weeks. Microvessels were obtained from gluteal subcutaneous fat biopsies before and after the intervention for vascular reactivity measurements to acetylcholine (Ach) and flow, with and without L-NAME or indomethacin. Vascular and serum NO and C-reactive protein (CRP) were also measured. LFWL diet increased flow-induced (FID) and ACh-induced dilation (AChID); an effect that was inhibited by L-NAME. Conversely, LFWM diet did not affect FID or AChID. Indomethacin improved FID and AChID in the baseline and this effect was minimized in response to both diets. Serum NO or CRP did not change in response to either diet. In conclusion, LFWL diet improves microvascular reactivity compared to LFWM diet and increased vascular NO contribution to the improved microvascular dilation. These data suggest that weight reduction on low fat diet is critical for microvascular health.