Resveratrol suppresses body mass gain in a seasonal non-human primate model of obesity

Abstract

BackgroundResveratrol, a natural polyphenolic compound, was shown to protect rodents against high-fat-diet induced diabesity by boosting energy metabolism. To the best of our knowledge, no data is yet available on the effects of resveratrol in non-human primates. Six non-human heterotherm primates (grey mouse lemurs, Microcebus murinus) were studied during four weeks of dietary supplementation with resveratrol (200 mg/kg/day) during their winter body-mass gain period. Body mass, spontaneous energy intake, resting metabolic rate, spontaneous locomotor activity and daily variations in body temperature were measured. In addition, the plasma levels of several gut hormones involved in satiety control were evaluated.ResultsResveratrol reduced the seasonal body-mass gain by concomitantly decreasing energy intake by 13% and increasing resting metabolic rate by 29%. Resveratrol supplementation inhibited the depth of daily torpor, an important energy-saving process in this primate. The daily amount of locomotor activity remained unchanged. Except for an increase in the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, a gut hormone known to promote mobilization of fat stores, no major change in satiety hormone plasma levels was observed under resveratrol supplementation.ConclusionsThese results suggest that in a non-human primate, resveratrol reduces body-mass gain by increasing satiety and resting metabolic rate, and by inhibiting torpor expression. The measured anorectic gut hormones did not seem to play a major role in these observations.

Can resveratrol help to maintain metabolic health?

“…The reason for the effect of body weight is not clear, but it has been shown that at higher dose resveratrol results in an increase in energy expenditure, despite a reduction in voluntary exercise, and could underlie the effects on body weight (40) . Work by Dal-Pan et al (45,46) confirmed that supplementing resveratrol for 1 year at a dose of 200 mg/kg per d to non-human primate Microcebus murinus resulted in an increase in BMR and average daily energy requirements as well as improvements in metabolic health (45,46) . Together, these and many other rodent data have suggested a potential for resveratrol to affect metabolic health and urged for studies in human subjects.…”

Resveratrol and health – A comprehensive review of human clinical trials

“…However, it is not clear that either of these observations is relevant to the weight loss, because voluntary exercise is actually lower in the resveratrol-treated group and body temperature is not detectably changed under normal conditions. Recently, 1 year of treatment with resveratrol at 200 mg kg À1 day À1 was found to increase basal metabolic rate and total daily energy expenditure in the nonhuman primate Microcebus murinus [53,54], providing further suggestive evidence for the possibility that resveratrol might be an effective way to enhance energy expenditure and/or promote weight loss. To our knowledge, there has been no controlled study of resveratrol's effects on weight loss in humans, despite this being one of the most frequent claims touted by supplement manufacturers.…”

Studies on Mechanistic Role of Natural Bioactive Compounds in the Management of Obesity An Overview

“…Still, the ability of resveratrol to induce a reduction in food intake has not been universally observed [45,46,48,49]. This difference could be attributed to the dose and period of supplementation.…”

“…In primates, resveratrol reduced the body weight gain by increasing satiety and resting metabolic rate [45]. In mice fed with a high-fat diet, resveratrol decreased food intake and down-regulated adipogenic and inflammatory processes [46].…”