THE EFFECT OF CHOLINE AND MYOINOSITOL ON LIVER AND CARCASS FAT LEVELSIN AEROBICALLY TRAINED RATS

Choline and myo-inositol are dietary supplements ingested under the pr emise that they facilitate the burning of stored fat. Choline and myo- inositol have been shown to prevent abnormal or excessive liver accumu lation of cholesterol and triglycerides in choline and myo-inositol de ficient rats. The current study was designed to determine whether the consumption of choline and myo-inositol by non-deficient aerobically t rained rats affects the percent liver and carcass fat. Nineteen rats w ere trained aerobically for ten weeks then randomly assigned to an exp erimental group fed choline and myo-inositol mixed with their chow, or a control group fed only chow. Rats were sacrificed after 24 more day s of aerobic training. Percent carcass and I liver fat were determined by a lipid extraction procedure. There was a significant difference i n the percent liver fat between groups, with the experimental group ha ving less fat (6.69 +/- 2.23 vs 9.22 +/- 2.91 percent fat; r = 0.05). Percent carcass fat was not significantly different. There was a signi ficant difference in the amount of weight gained during the 24 days of treatment, with the experimental group gaining less weight (5.1 +/- 9 .2 vs 11.8 +/- 3.1 g; r < 0.05). The lack of an effect on percent carc ass fat indicates that choline plus myo-inositol supplements do not re duce adipose tissue mass but can inhibit weight gain while decreasing liver fat.