We investigated the effects of different weight loss protocols on leptin levels in obese females with the aim of addressing the leptin resistance which has been found to be an aggravating factor in obesity. Twenty-four obese females enrolled to one of three 12-week weight loss protocols: orlistat-induced weight loss (OWL, n=8), exercise-induced weight loss (EWL, n=8) and orlistat plus exercise-induced weight loss (OEWL, n=8). Serum leptin levels were measured in duplicate by radioimmunoassay. There were significant reductions (P<0.01) in body weight and fat mass after the 12 week period in all groups: -11.4±0.5 kg and -9.8
±0.5 kg (OEWL), -8.3±0.8 kg and -5.7±0.9 kg (OWL), -8.9±1.2 kg and -7.4±1.2 kg (EWL), respectively. Serum leptin levels were also decreased markedly in all groups: -59.2 %(OEWL1), -37.8 % (OWL) and -48.6 % (EWL) (P<0.01 all). In addition, there were marked decreases in leptin levels for each kilogram of fat mass after the 12 week period: -48.2
±7.2 % (OEWL), -27.8±4.8 % (OWL) and -39.3±4.3% (EWL) (P<0.01 all). Decreases in serum leptin levels expressed per kilogram of fat mass were significantly higher in the OEWL group compared to the OWL group (P=0.03). Consequently, an exercise training program in adjunct to
pharmacotherapy provides higher weight reduction and fat mass loss in obesity treatment. It also seems to have further beneficial effects on leptin re
sistance, as indicated by decreases in leptin levels expressed per kilogram of fat mass.
Induction of cellular cerebral edema (CE) was achieved by
a standard method of water intoxication which consisted of
fractionated intraperitoneal administration of distilled water (DW)
together with the injection of desmopressin (DP). Using metabolic
cage, fluid and food balance was studied in two groups of eight
animals: group C – control; group CE – cellular edema induced by
water intoxication. For each rat the intake (food pellets and
water) and excretion (solid excrements and urine) were recorded
for 48 h together with the initial and final body weight.
CE animals consumed significantly less food, drank less water and
eliminated the smallest amount of excrements. The induction of
cellular cerebral edema was accompanied with
a significant loss of body weight (representing on average 13 %
of the initial values) mainly due to a reduction of food intake. This
phenomenon has not yet been reported.
A group of 14 healthy female subjects was studied using MRI during 2 months of life-style intervention. A series of 21 water-suppressed images was used to determine the intra-abdominal fat volume before and after the controlled loss of weight. The average weight decrease was 8.2 %, but the average relative loss of visceral fat was 20.3 %, whereas subcutaneous fat decreased by 13.4 %. A small but significant increase of insulin sensitivity (decrease in fasting insulin and blood glucose) was observed, but no changes in lipoprotein parameters were demonstrated. There was a significant negative correlation (r=–0.633, p=0.028) between the relative abdominal fat decrease and the initial amount of subcutaneous fat.