HEPATIC GLYCOGEN AND LACTATE HANDLING IN DIETARY OBESE RATS

Hepatic balances for glucose and its precursor, lactate, were calculat ed by measuring hepatic blood flows and the arteriovenous differences of these metabolites in 2 groups of overweight rats: cafeteria diet-fe d rats and post-cafeteria rats, Obese rats show abnormal hepatic glyco gen handling, since they do not mobilize all hepatic glycogen stores a fter 24-hour starvation, in a situation in which a lower rate of hepat ic glucose output and a higher capacity for lactate uptake are attaine d, The important decrease (about 50%) in the hepatic blood flows obser ved in post-cafeteria rats versus control rats was similar to that cau sed by 24-hour starvation in control animals, suggesting that after wi thdrawal of the cafeteria diet, the liver blood flow of the post-cafet eria rats was adapted to the low-food intake in order to make better u se of the energy consumed, The results also suggest an increased effic iency of hepatic lactate uptake in post-cafeteria rats.