Efeitos da suplementação dietética com óleo de chia (Salvia hispanica L.) sobre as alterações metabólicas decorrentes da obesidade

Abstract

Impaired insulin sensitivity has been shown to be associated with an increase in plasma levels of non-esterified fatty acids and inflammatory mediators, two conditions associated with excess weight gain. It has been described that omega 3 polyunsatured fatty acids, which are substrate for the synthesis of inflammatory mediators as eicosanoids, modulate adipocyte differentiation and energy metabolism, improving the consequences of obesity. Recently, chia seed oil was described as the richest source of omega 3 polyunsatured fatty acids, mainly alpha linolenic fatty acid (ALA,18:3 ω-3). In this study, we evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with chia oil in an animal model of metabolic syndrome induced by high fat diet. C57BL06 mice with 21 days of age were maintained on a high fat diet (45% kcal from fat) for 10 weeks (H-group). The effects of chia seed oil supplementation were evaluated after 45 days of treatment (135 days of age – HC-group). The control group (C-group) was composed of animals that received standard chow throughout the period. H and HC mice presented a significant increase in the body weight when compared to C-group; however circulating levels of leptin and triglycerides, as well as the content of liver lipids were significantly reduced in HC mice when compared to H mice. In epididymal adipose tissue, supplementation with chia oil reduced adipocyte size and decreased saturated fatty acids contents. Chia oil supplementation also induced a more efficient insulin signaling in skeletal muscle, evidenced by lower IRS-1 Ser307 phosphorylation, increased AKT phosphorylation and increased GLUT4 translocation, when compared to skeletal muscle from H group. Together, our data suggest that supplementation with chia seed oil may mitigate some of major metabolic changes induced by obesity, especially improving insulin resistance, being itself one therapeutic option in treatment of obesity and its consequences.