Abstract
As L-arabinose is known to selectively inhibit intestinal sucrase activity, it may improve the obesity caused by excess sucrose ingestion. The effects of L-arabinose on energy expenditure and muscle fiber composition were studied using Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats that were fed either a 20% sucrose diet (C) or a 20% sucrose diet containing 1.5% L-arabinose (A) for 21 weeks. At 29 weeks of age, the abdominal adipose tissue weight and cell size were increased in group C, while the increase of weight and cell size were significantly inhibited in group A. L-arabinose also significantly suppressed the increase of blood glucose at 2h after glucose administration. The energy percentage of fat consumed in group A increased by 12.8% when estimated by RQ. The number of type I fibers was significantly increased in the rectus lemons muscle, which-like many other skeletal muscles-is composed of mixed type I and II fibers. These results suggest that L-arabinose is effective for changing the skeletal muscle fiber composition from predominantly glycolytic to oxidative, thus inhibiting the increment of abdominal adipose tissue. Such an altered muscle fiber ratio could improve type 2 diabetes mellitus.
