Metabolic and Testicular Effects of the Long-Term Administration of Different High-Fat Diets in Adult Rats

Abstract

ABSTRACTPurpose:To evaluate the effects of different high-fat diets on body mass, carbohydrate metabolism and testicular morphology in rats seven months old.Materials and Methods:Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: SC (standard chow), HF-S (high fat diet rich in saturated fatty acids), HF-P (high fat diet rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids), HF-SP (high fat diet rich in saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids). The rats were fed for 16 weeks. Blood samples, testes and genital fat deposits were collected for analysis. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test, considering pResults:Different high-fat diets promoted an increase in the body mass (pConclusions:The high fat diet administration, independent of the lipid quality, promotes overweight. Diet rich in saturated fatty acids (lard) alters the carbohydrate metabolism and the testicular morphology with reductions of seminiferous epithelium height, seminiferous tubule diameter and cell proliferation which could be related to a disturbance of spermatogenesis.

Keywords

• Obesity
• Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
• Fatty Acids
• Testis
• Rats, Wistar