Sorbitol and lactitol reduce body fat and toxic ammonia levels in rats

• Published in: Nutrition Research Vol. 27; no. 7; pp. 440 - 447
• Main Authors: Shahidul Islam, M., Nishiyama, Ayae, Sakaguchi, Ei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.07.2007; Elsevier BV; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Ammonia; ammonium nitrogen; animal models; Biological and medical sciences; blood serum; blood urea nitrogen; Body fat; experimental diets; fatty liver; Feeding. Feeding behavior; food intake; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; gut ammonia nitrogen; health promotion; hepatoprotective effect; Lactitol; lipemic effect; lipolysis; metabolic detoxification; nutrient partitioning; Rat; rats; Sorbitol; Sugar alcohols; urea nitrogen; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Sorbitol; Ammonia; Sugar alcohols; Body fat; Rat; Lactitol; Rodentia; Alcohol; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Animal; Fat; Sugar
• ISSN: 0271-5317; 1879-0739
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2007.04.019

Sugar alcohols (SAs) are widely used in various food products because of their benefits on health. The present study investigated the effects of 7% sorbitol or 7% lactitol on nutrient metabolism in cecectomized (CTx) and normal rats. After 16 days of feeding with the experimental diets, food intake was not significantly different, but body weight was significantly decreased in the lactitol-fed groups compared with their respective control groups. The concentration and accumulation of fat in the carcass and the concentration of gut ammonia nitrogen were significantly decreased in both groups of rats fed SAs, and these effects were significantly higher ( P < .05) in CTx rats than in normal rats. Blood urea nitrogen concentration was significantly decreased in the SA-fed groups compared with their control group of normal rats. Lactitol, but not sorbitol, significantly decreased the rate of protein accumulation and the concentration of blood urea nitrogen, respectively, in normal and CTx rats. These data suggest that sorbitol and lactitol can reduce body fat as well as fatty liver condition. Moreover, lactitol is more effective in reducing the parameters studied, which are major risk factors associated with chronic hepatic encephalopathy.