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Overweight and obesity are associated with severe metabolic disorders and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. It is a known fact that physical activity has a positive effect on metabolic parameters, and also reduces the risk of diseases such as diabetes. Some products can enhance the rate of lipolysis and help in improving fat loss. One of these are selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) which act as anabolic agents and are also believed to aid in fatburning. In this study, we investigated whether 30 days of ostarine administration could potentially improve metabolic parameters using the rat model of obesity combined with exercise. We assessed the levels of biochemical and hormonal parameters in serum samples as well as insulin sensitivity indices of tissues. There were significant changes in the metabolic parameters with exercise. However, we did not find any additive effects of ostarine and exercise on most of the parameters tested. Similar results were obtained from the analysis of gene expression and the concentration of leptin and adiponectin. Our results indicated that ostarine had a lowering effect on cholesterol concentration in the serum (P<0.05). Moreover, when combining ostarine and exercise, additive changes were only observed in the levels of total and HDL cholesterol. No significant change was observed in the metabolic parameters of obese rats with the use of ostarine at the dose of 0.4 mg/kg body weight. Since ostarine is known to enhance performance, further research on its effects is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Daidzein, coumestrol and zearalenone -- compounds called phytoestrogens, considered as active biological factors affecting many important physiological and biochemical processes appeared to be also significant regulators of adipocyte metabolism. [...]

OBJECTIVE: Kisspeptin (KP) is a major regulator of reproductive functions. It has also been shown to be involved in the metabolic changes associated with obesity. According to the well-established concept of prenatal programming, environmental factors can influence physiological and behavioral systems at the early stages of development. Thus, we hypothesized that in pregnant women, obesity can be associated with alterations in the levels of KP. We also assumed that the observed changes in obese mothers' blood (MB) would be reflected in the umbilical cord blood (CB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected MB and CB from obese and nonobese women and analyzed the differences in metabolic and hormonal profiles, including KP concentration, using commercially available assays. RESULTS: We found that the level of KP was increased in the MB and CB of obese patients compared to nonobese subjects (p<0.05). A strong correlation was observed between the concentration of KP in MB and CB (r=0.8343; p<0.01). Moreover, we detected that the differences in the adipokine profile observed in the MB were not reflected in CB. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that blood KP concentration can serve as a valuable marker in pregnant women. However, further studies are needed to understand the alterations of this peptide in obese pregnant woman and their potential effects on offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic ligands of androgen receptor (AR) are a standard in the treatment of androgen deficiency. One of the effects of androgen deficiency is the disturbance in the homeostasis of lipid metabolism. Till date, there are no effective compounds developed to treat androgen deficiency without having any side effects. Nonsteroidal selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are a promising solution for various clinical indications. In this study, we investigated the effect of ostarine (enobosarm), a nonsteroidal SARM, on the rat adipocyte metabolism using in vitro techniques. Isolated rat adipocytes were incubated in the presence of different concentrations of ostarine. Control incubation with testosterone as the natural ligand for AR was performed. AR inhibitors were used to investigate the genomic activity of ostarine. Changes in the intensity of lipolysis, lipogenesis, and the secretion of leptin and adiponectin were measured. Moreover, the gene expression of leptin and adiponectin was assessed. For the first time, we have shown that ostarine has a significant effect on the intensity of lipid metabolism. Ostarine downregulates the expression of leptin and adiponectin mRNAs, as well as decreases their release from rat adipocytes. According to our results, ostarine acts via AR with a similar effect as testosterone in the regulation of lipid metabolism and endocrine function of mature rat adipocytes in vitro. Our results indicate the need for further studies on the effects of SARM on the whole organism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naringenin is a bioactive flavanone involved in the inhibition of drug metabolism which exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancerogenic properties and which recently appeared to be a factor mitigating the hyperlipidaemic effects in rats and rabbits. In the performed experiment, the effect of naringenin, administered intragastrically (50 mg/kg) for 2 weeks to normal and ethanol drinking rats, on insulin and leptin levels and on some metabolic parameters was investigated. Naringenin did not change the hormone levels in any group of rats. Blood glucose, triglyceride, total, esterified and free cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations were also unaffected by this compound. Only free fatty acids were elevated after the naringenin treatment in the water-drinking rats. In spite of unchanged glucose and insulin concentrations in blood, the tested flavanone reduced the glucose/insulin ratio in ethanol-receiving rats. Liver triglycerides, elevated due to ethanol ingestion, were partially normalized by naringenin. Other tested parameters like liver glycogen and cholesterol, muscle triglycerides and glycogen were not altered in any group of rats. The influence of naringenin (62.5, 125, 250 and 500 μm) on basal and insulin-stimulated glucose conversion to lipids (lipogenesis) as well as on basal and epinephrine-stimulated glycerol release (lipolysis) in the isolated rat adipocytes was also tested. The basal and the stimulated lipogenesis tended to be decreased in the presence of the flavanone (250 μm). This inhibitory effect intensified and was statistically significant at the highest concentration of naringenin. The tested compound did not evoke any effect on basal lipolysis while the epinephrine-stimulated process was limited at the highest concentration of the flavanone. Naringenin (62.5, 125, 250 and 500 μm) had no effect on leptin secretion from the isolated rat adipocytes. Results obtained in our studies demonstrate that naringenin exerts a very weak influence on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism of normal and ethanol-consuming rats and on metabolism of isolated rat adipocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to investigate acute leptineffects on insulin secretion and liver insulin binding in rats in vitro . In the in situ experiments leptin changed the pattern of insulinsecretion from the pancreas but did not influence insulin binding in the liver.Perfusion of the pancreas with leptin (1, 10, and 100 nmol/l, respectively)at physiological and supraphysiological levels of glucose (6.66 and 25.0 mmol/l,respectively) did not evoke the inhibition of insulin output observed by theauthors previously in the in vivo manners. On the contrary, leptinperfusion resulted in stimulation of insulin secretion. Simultaneously, liverperfusion with leptin for 30 min did not influence specific insulin binding.Analysis of Scatchard's plots indicated no changes in the number of high-and low-affinity insulin receptors and in their affinity to the hormone. Additionally,leptin did not influence general carbohydrate and lipid metabolism of theperfused liver. After the treatment with leptin, the output of glucose, freefatty acids and triglycerides to perfusate and the final contents of glycogenand triglycerides in liver were comparable to values obtained in control animals.The results indicate that some in vitro effects exerted by leptindiffer from those observed in vivo . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of coumestrol and oestrone added into the food on the serum insulin level and some carbohydrate parameters of female rats in various physiological states was investigated. The insulin level diminished after coumestrol feeding, especially in the young immature rats and in ovariectomized as adult animals, contrary to oestrone which either increased or did not change the insulin level. Coumestrol also decreased the liver and muscle glycogen content but these changes were dependent on the physiological state of animals. It may be concluded that although coumestrol and oestrone acted similarly on uterus weight their effects on the insulin level and carbohydrate metabolism differ in female rats. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]