Theobromine does not affect postprandial lipid metabolism and duodenal gene expression, but has unfavorable effects on postprandial glucose and insulin responses in humans. Issue 2 (April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smolders, Lotte; Mensink, Ronald P.; Boekschoten, Mark V.; de Ridder, Rogier J.J.; Plat, Jogchum
• Is Part Of: Clinical nutrition. Volume 37:Issue 2(2018)
• Page Start: 719
• Page End: 727
• Publication Date: 2018-04
• Subjects: Theobromine -- Postprandial -- Lipid metabolism -- Glucose metabolism -- Microarray; apoA-I apolipoprotein A-I -- apoB100 apolipoprotein B100 -- apoB48 apolipoprotein B48 -- CVD cardiovascular diseases -- CYP1A2 cytochrome P450 1A2 -- CYP2E1 cytochrome P450 2E1 -- dAUC decremental area under the curve -- DBP diastolic blood pressure -- FFA free fatty acid -- FFQ food frequency questionnaires -- GSEA gene set enrichment analysis -- HDL-C high-density lipoprotein cholesterol -- hsCRP high sensitivity c-reactive protein -- iAUC incremental area under the curve -- IPA ingenuity pathway analysis -- LDL-C low density lipoprotein cholesterol -- SBP systolic blood pressure -- TAG triacylglycerol; Critically ill -- Nutrition -- Periodicals; Diet therapy -- Periodicals; Parenteral feeding -- Periodicals; Enteral feeding -- Periodicals; Enteral Nutrition -- Periodicals; Parenteral Nutrition -- Periodicals; Metabolism -- Periodicals; Diétothérapie -- Périodiques; Alimentation parentérale -- Périodiques; Alimentation entérale -- Périodiques; Nutrition -- Périodiques; Diet therapy; Enteral feeding; Nutrition; Parenteral feeding; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 615.854
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2017.06.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0261-5614

Abstract

Summary: Background & aims: Chocolate consumption is associated with a decreased risk for CVD. Theobromine, a compound in cocoa, may explain these effects as it favorably affected fasting serum lipids. However, long-term effects of theobromine on postprandial metabolism as well as underlying mechanisms have never been studied. The objective was to evaluate the effects of 4-week theobromine consumption (500 mg/day) on fasting and postprandial lipid, lipoprotein and glucose metabolism, and duodenal gene expression. Methods: In a randomized, double-blind crossover study, 44 healthy men and women, with low baseline HDL-C concentrations consumed 500 mg theobromine or placebo daily. After 4-weeks, fasting blood was sampled and subjects participated in a 4-h postprandial test. Blood was sampled frequently for analysis of lipid and glucose metabolism. In a subgroup of 10 men, 5 h after meal consumption duodenal biopsies were taken for microarray analysis. Results: 4-weeks theobromine consumption lowered fasting LDL-C (−0.21 mmol/L; P = 0.006), and apoB100 (−0.04 g/L; P = 0.022), tended to increase HDL-C (0.03 mmol/L; P = 0.088) and increased hsCRP (1.2 mg/L; P = 0.017) concentrations. Fasting apoA-I, TAG, FFA, glucose and insulin concentrations were unchanged. In the postprandial phase, theobromine consumption increased glucose (P = 0.026), insulin (P = 0.011) and FFA (P = 0.003) concentrations, while lipids and (apo)lipoproteins were unchanged. In duodenal biopsies, microarray analysis showed no consistent changes in expression of genes, pathways or gene sets related to lipid, cholesterol or glucose metabolism. Conclusions: It is not likely that the potential beneficial effects of cocoa on CVD can be ascribed to theobromine. Although theobromine lowers serum LDL-C concentrations, it did not change fasting HDL-C, apoA-I, or postprandial lipid concentrations and duodenal gene expression, and unfavorably affected postprandial glucose and insulin responses. This trial was registered onclinicaltrials.gov under study numberNCT02209025 .