Endocrine Abstracts

A growing number of studies have reported beneficial health effects of cocoa and turmeric, including atherosclerosis, hypertension and insulin resistance. Relatively few studies have investigated the preventive or therapeutic effects of cocoa and turmeric against obesity-related metabolic disorders and co-pathologies. The study was undertaken to determine the effects of cocoa and turmeric powder supplementation on glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and lipid profile in rats fed with high-fat diet (HFD). Twenty-four (24) male Sprague-Dawley rats were initially divided into two groups of six and eighteen rats; the group of 18 rats was fed with HFD while the other group of 6 rats consumed the control diet. After seven weeks on the dietary regimen, 12 rats from the HFD group were shifted to either cocoa-supplemented (50 mg/kg diet) or turmeric-supplemented (100 mg/kg diet) with six rats in each group, while the remaining rats continued on the HFD for another 7 weeks. Throughout the study, food intake and body weights were measured and recorded. Thereafter, OGTT and ITT were performed; fat pads were excised and weighed immediately. Blood samples were also collected via the retro-orbital sinus to measure the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL. Data obtained from this study showed that dietary cocoa and turmeric supplementation reduces body weight gain, retroperitoneal and testicular fat accretion, improves lipid profile, ameliorates glucose intolerance and enhances insulin sensitivity in the HFD fed- obese rats. Dietary supplementation with cocoa and turmeric ameliorates obesity-related hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in HFD fed obese rats. Notably, both nutriceuticals were capable of improving glucose tolerance by increasing insulin sensitivity.