Changes in plasma endocannabinoid levels in viscerally obese men following a 1 year lifestyle modification programme and waist circumference reduction: Associations with changes in metabolic risk factors
Diabetologia. 2008-10-30; 52(2): 213-217
DOI: 10.1007/s00125-008-1178-6
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1. Diabetologia. 2009 Feb;52(2):213-7. doi: 10.1007/s00125-008-1178-6.
Changes in plasma endocannabinoid levels in viscerally obese men following a 1
year lifestyle modification programme and waist circumference reduction:
associations with changes in metabolic risk factors.
Di Marzo V(1), Côté M, Matias I, Lemieux I, Arsenault BJ, Cartier A, Piscitelli
F, Petrosino S, Alméras N, Després JP.
Author information:
(1)Endocannabinoid Research Group, Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare, Consiglio
Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Comprensorio Olivetti, 80078
Pozzuoli (NA), Italy.
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: We previously reported that the plasma levels of the
endocannabinoid, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), in a cohort of viscerally obese
men are directly correlated with visceral adipose tissue (VAT) accumulation and
metabolic risk factors including low HDL-cholesterol and high triacylglycerol.
It is not known, however, if such correlations persist after vigorous lifestyle
interventions that reduce metabolic risk factors. We analysed the changes in
endocannabinoid levels in a subsample from the same cohort following a 1 year
lifestyle modification programme, and correlated them with changes in VAT and
metabolic risk factors.
METHODS: Forty-nine viscerally obese men (average age 49 years, BMI 30.9
kg/m(2), waist 107.3 cm) underwent a 1 year lifestyle modification programme
including healthy eating and physical activity. Plasma levels of 2-AG and the
other most studied endocannabinoid, anandamide, were measured by liquid
chromatography-mass spectrometry. Anthropometric and metabolic risk factors,
including VAT, insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, HDL-cholesterol and
triacylglycerol, were measured.
RESULTS: Most risk factors were improved by the intervention, which led to a
significant decrease in body weight (-6.4 kg, p < 0.0001), waist circumference
(-8.0 cm, p < 0.0001) and VAT (-30%, p < 0.0001), and in plasma 2-AG (-62.3%, p
< 0.0001) and anandamide (-7.1%, p = 0.005) levels. The decrease in levels of
2-AG but not those of anandamide correlated with decreases in VAT and
triacylglycerol levels, and with the increase in HDL(3)-cholesterol levels.
Multivariate analyses suggested that decreases in 2-AG and VAT were both
independently associated with decreases in triacylglycerol.
CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: This study shows that a strong correlation exists
between 2-AG levels and high plasma triacylglycerol and low HDL(3)-cholesterol
in viscerally obese men.
DOI: 10.1007/s00125-008-1178-6
PMID: 18972095 [Indexed for MEDLINE]