This study investigates the effects of
green tea polyphenols (GTPs) on body composition and bone properties along with mechanisms in obese female rats. Thirty-six 3-month-old Sprague Dawley female rats were fed either a low-fat (LF) or a high-fat (HF) diet for 4 months. Animals in the LF diet group continued on an LF diet for additional 4 months, whereas those in the HF diet group were divided into 2 groups: with
GTP (0.5%) or without in
drinking water, in addition to an HF diet for another 4 months. Body composition, femur bone mass and strength, serum endocrine and proinflammatory
cytokines, and liver
glutathione peroxidase (GPX)
protein expression were determined. We hypothesized that supplementation of
GTP in
drinking water would benefit body composition, enhance bone quality, and suppress
obesity-related endocrines in HF diet-induced obese female rats and that such changes are related to an elevation of
antioxidant capacity and a reduction of proinflammatory
cytokine production. After 8 months, compared with the LF diet, the HF diet increased percentage of fat mass and serum
insulin-like growth factor I and
leptin levels; reduced percentage of fat-free mass, bone strength, and GPX
protein expression; but had no effect on bone mineral density and serum
adiponectin levels in the rats.
Green tea polyphenol supplementation increased percentage of fat-free mass, bone mineral density and strength, and GPX
protein expression and decreased percentage of fat mass, serum
insulin-like growth factor I,
leptin,
adiponectin, and proinflammatory
cytokines in the obese rats. This study shows that
GTP supplementation benefited body composition and bone properties in obese rats possibly through enhancing
antioxidant capacity and suppressing
inflammation.