Investigation of the effects of ketogenic diet and intermittent nutrition on some biochemical parameters related to obesity in rats

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the relationship of intermittent fasting and ketogenic diet with biochemical parameters known to increase the risk of obesity and metabolic diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight overweight Wistar Albino male rats were randomly divided into four groups: standard diet (SD), standard diet+intermittent fasting (SD+IF), ketogenic diet (KD), ketogenic diet+intermittent fasting (KD+IF) (n=7). An alternative day (ADA) fasting protocol was applied for 30 days as an intermittent fasting method. Rats were fed standard rat chow and ketogenic diets, and daily energy intake was adjusted iso calorically. During the experiment, body weights, heights, body mass indexes (BMI), fasting blood glucose (FBG), and ketone levels were recorded weekly. The serum samples were taken at the end of the experiment and were measured levels of adiponectin, leptin, insulin, fasting glucose, lipid profile (HDL, LDL, TG, TCL), and liver enzyme (AST, ALT) RESULTS: At the end of the experiment, it was observed that the lowest weight gain was in the SD+IF group, followed by the KD+IF group (p<0.05). The BMI values of the ADA-applied groups were lower than the other groups, and the brown adipose tissues were higher (p<0.05). FG values of the KD+IF group were found to be lower than the other groups during the experiment (p<0.05). Serum insulin and HOMA-IR, and leptin levels were high in the SD group (p<0.05), while adiponectin levels were not significant (p>0.05). Blood ketone levels of SD+IF, KD, and KD+IF groups increased significantly throughout the experiment (p<0.05). HDL and LDL levels of SD+IF and KD+IF groups were lower than SD group (p<0.05). The TG and TCL values and testicular weight of the KD-treated groups were higher in the KD+IF group than in the ALT and AST values of the other groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study results determined that intermittent fasting alone or with a ketogenic diet improves obesity and metabolic disease-related biochemical parameters and hormones. Keywords: Adiponectin, intermittent fasting and ketogenic diet, leptin, insulin, obesity