Taurine Ameliorates Hypercholesterolemia But Not Obesity in Rats Fed a Lard-Based, High-Fat Diet

Abstract

The cholesterol-lowering effect of taurine differs based on species, types of hypercholesterolemia, and, in particular, the presence or absence of cholate in an individual’s diet. In this study, the cholesterol-lowering and anti-obesity effects of taurine were tested in rats fed a lard-based, high-fat diet, which was intended to be qualitatively similar to the diets of obese patients, rather than a high cholesterol/sodium diet with cholate intake. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were fed either a normal diet, a high-fat (HF) diet, or a taurine (2 %) diet for 12 weeks. After the experimental period, the rats’ organs were harvested and sera were collected to analyze changes in organ weight, histological changes, and serum lipid levels. The HF diet increased body-weight gain (g/day) and weight of epididymal and retroperitoneal fat tissue, while a taurine supplement did not influence weight increased by HF diet. Additionally, histological changes were not detected in the pancreas, liver, or adipose tissue. In contrast, the serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol levels were significantly increased among rats fed a HF diet, while these levels decreased among rats fed a taurine diet. This result suggests that taurine supplementation is not effective at reducing obesity but it can reduce serum lipid levels that were previously elevated due to a high-fat diet. In conclusion, taurine supplementation may be helpful in ameliorating hyperlipidemia, one of the major risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD).