High-fat diet up-regulates either
insulin resistance or
triglycerides, which is assumed to be related to the expression of
peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (
PPAR)-α and
PPAR-γ. The beneficial effects of
vitamin E on
insulin resistance are well known; however, it is not clear if
vitamin E with a high-fat diet alters the expression of
PPAR-α and
PPAR-γ. We investigated the effects of d-α-
tocopherol supplementation on
insulin sensitivity, blood
lipid profiles, lipid peroxidation, and the expression of
PPAR-α and
PPAR-γ in a high-fat (HF) diet-fed male C57BL/6J model of
insulin resistance. The animals were given a regular diet (CON; 10% fat), a HF diet containing 45% fat, or a HF diet plus d-α-
tocopherol (HF-E) for a period of 20 weeks. The results showed that the HF diet induced
insulin resistance and altered the
lipid profile, specifically the
triglyceride (TG) and total
cholesterol (TC) levels (P < 0.05). In this animal model, supplementation with d-α-
tocopherol improved
insulin resistance as well as the serum levels of TG and
very-low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-C) (P < 0.05). Moreover, the treatment decreased the levels of
malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum and liver while increasing hepatic
PPAR-α expression and decreasing
PPAR-γ expression. In conclusion, the
oral administration of d-α-
tocopherol with a high-fat diet had positive effects on
insulin resistance,
lipid profiles, and oxidative stress through the expression of
PPAR-α and
PPAR-γ in a high-fat diet-fed male mice.