Cholesterol synthesis is associated with hepatic lipid content and dependent on fructose/glucose intake in healthy humans.
Visceral obesity and fatty liver have been related to high synthesis and low absorption of cholesterol. This study aimed to investigate the associations of cholesterol metabolism with liver and visceral fat content in healthy humans. Another objective was to explore the effects of very-high-fructose and very-high-glucose diets on cholesterol homeostasis. We report on a cohort of 20 people (12 males, 8 females; age 30.5 ± 2.0 years; body mass index 25.9 ± 0.5 kg/m(2)) who completed a four-week dietary intervention study. Between the baseline and the followup examination the study participants in addition to a balanced weight-maintaining diet received 150 g of either fructose or glucose per day. Visceral and liver fat were measured with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and (1)H-MR spectroscopy, respectively. Cholesterol absorption and synthesis were estimated from the serum noncholesterol sterol concentrations. Performing cross-sectional analyses the lanosterol and desmosterol to cholesterol ratios were positively correlated with visceral and liver fat content (all P < .03). The lathosterol to cholesterol ratio decreased in response to high-fructose diet (P = .006) but not in response to high-glucose diet. To conclude, visceral and liver fat content are associated with cholesterol synthesis in healthy humans. Furthermore, cholesterol synthesis appears to be dependent on fructose/glucose intake.
Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Diabetology, Nephrology, Vascular Disease, and Clinical Chemistry, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Straße 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Guenther
G
Silbernagel
Dieter
D
Lütjohann
Juergen
J
Machann
Sabrina
S
Meichsner
Konstantinos
K
Kantartzis
Fritz
F
Schick
Hans-Ulrich
HU
Häring
Norbert
N
Stefan
Andreas
A
Fritsche
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005632:Fructose / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D013261:Sterols / Q000097:blood
D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D013261:Sterols; D005632:Fructose; D002784:Cholesterol; D005947:Glucose