title: Low-carbohydrate high-fat diets in combination with daily exercise in rats: effects on body weight regulation, body composition and exercise capacity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the current investigation was to examine the effects of consuming a low-carbohydrate high-fat diet (LC-HFD) in combination with daily exercise on body weight, body composition, endocrine control of the energy balance system and exercise capacity in adolescent and mature rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adolescent (n=23) and mature rats (n=16) were maintained on either a standard chow diet (CH) or a LC-HFD for a period of ten days prior to daily exercise training for 21 days in forced running wheel system. At the end of the 21 day training sessions all rats took part in an exercise performance test where time to exhaustion was measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rats maintained on the LC-HFD demonstrated a significant lack of body weight gain (p<0.05) compared to CH maintained rats, despite equicaloric intake and performing identical amounts of daily exercise. Body composition was significantly altered in the LC-HFD rats (p<0.05) with increased body fat (p<0.01). Leptin concentrations were higher (p<0.05) and IGF-I concentrations were lower (p<0.01) in the LC-HFD fed rats. Exercise performance was not diminished in the LC-HFD group despite the higher fat mass. Both groups irrespective of age performed equally as well in the time to exhaustion test (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maintenance on the LC-HFD in combination with forced daily exercise did not impact exercise capacity (total distance and meters per minute). Additionally consumption of an extreme LC-HFD in combination with daily exercise resulted in significantly less body weight gain but increased fat mass. When combined with daily exercise this diet clearly had a negative impact on body composition, but did not affect exercise capacity.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Research Unit, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Klinikum der LMU, Munich, Germany. s.caton@leeds.ac.uk
authors.forename: Samantha J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Caton
authors.forename: Maximilian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bielohuby
authors.forename: Yinglong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Lothar J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Spangler
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Burget
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pfluger
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reinel
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Czisch
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reincke
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Obici
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kienzle
authors.forename: Matthias H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tschöp
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bidlingmaier
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D050528:Diet, Carbohydrate-Restricted / Q000379:methods*; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000379:methods; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000494:pharmacology; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000652:urine; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D020738:Leptin; D008055:Lipids; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D009584:Nitrogen