Arginine and Conjugated Linoleic Acid Reduce Fat Mass in Rats

Arginine and Conjugated Linoleic Acid Reduce Fat Mass in Rats. (May 2008) Jennifer Lynn Nall, B.S., Texas A&M University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Stephen B. Smith This experiment tested the hypothesis that the combination of dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) plus arginine will decrease fat accumulation and increase muscle mass. Twenty-four male Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial design with six rats per treatment group (control: 2.55% alanine in drinking water + 1.5% canola oil; arginine: 1.25% arginine-HCl in drinking water + 1.5% canola oil; conjugated linoleic acid (CLA; mixed isomers): 2.55% alanine in drinking water + 1.5% CLA; arginine + CLA: 1.25% arginine-HCl in drinking water + 1.5% CLA). Rats fed arginine plus CLA had a higher daily intake of food (P = 0.02). Rats fed arginine plus CLA had a higher average daily gain than rats fed only arginine or CLA. Arginine and CLA increased final body weights (P = 0.04,0.009). Abdominal fat mass (P = 0.08) and abdominal fat:lean body mass ratio (P = 0.03) were decreased by CLA but were unaffected by arginine. Epididymal fat pad weight was unaffected by arginine or CLA (P > 0.55). CLA tended (P < 0.07) to decrease the plasma oleic/stearic acid ratio. Conversion of C-labeled glucose and palmitic acid to total lipids and CO2 in epididymal adipose tissue in vitro was unaffected by CLA. Arginine decreased (P =