The effect of antioxidant treatment on blood lactate and pyruvate concentrations in a rabbit model of obesity

Abstract

In the current study, the impact of dietary antioxidant supplementation on fasting blood lactate and pyruvate concentrations in a rabbit model of obesity was investigated. A total of 26 rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups: castrated and obese animals (CO, n=7); castrated, obese and treated with antioxidants (Immunoprotect, n=7, CIm) and non-castrated, non-treated controls (NC, n=12). At the end of the 2-month treatment period blood lactate concentration, lactate to pyruvate and lactate to glucose ratio in CIm were significantly (P<0.05) lower than in NC and tended to be lower than in CO. No group differences in pyruvate and glucose concentrations were found. There was a significant negative (r =–0.53; P<0.05) correlation between lactate and glucose concentrations. On the other hand, lactate was correlated significantly positively with pyruvate (r=0.72; P<0.01), lactate to pyruvate ratio (r=0.94; P<0.001), lactate to glucose ratio (r=0.75; P<0.001) and pyruvate to glucose ratio (r=0.81; P<0.001). In conclusion, the decrease of blood lactate concentration in antioxi-dant treated rabbits could be considered as a mechanism for improvement of skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity. In addition, antioxidant treatment could be used as an alternative tool to counteract lactic acidosis in obesity and diabetes.