Inhibition of regain in body weight and fat with addition of 3-carbon compounds to the diet with hyperenergetic refeeding after weight reduction.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficacy of the 3-carbon compounds pyruvate and dihydroxyacetone (PD) in inhibiting reaccumulation of body weight and fat with refeeding after weight loss.

DESIGN

Longitudinal, in Clinical Research Center. After weight loss induced by hypoenergetic diet (1.3 MJ/d) for 3 weeks, refeeding with hyperenergetic diet (1.5 x resting energy expenditure) for 3 weeks. Refeeding diet randomized to contain PD or placebo (PL, polyglucose) as approximately 20% of energy intake.

SUBJECTS

17 obese healthy women (n = 8 in PL group, n = 9 in PD group) (age: 22-60 y, weight: 72.5-139.7 kg).

MEASUREMENTS

Resting energy expenditure (REE), body composition (by bioelectrical impedance), nitrogen balance, serum proteins, biochemical profile, thyroid hormones, and insulin, before and after refeeding and weight and fat gain.

RESULTS

Refeeding with a hyperenergetic diet, weight gain was significantly less in patients receiving PD compared to placebo (1.8 + 0.2 kg vs 2.9 +/- 0.1 kg, P < 0.01). Body fat regain was also less with feeding of PD (0.8 +/- 0.2 kg vs 1.8 +/- 0.2 kg, P < 0.01). Body protein metabolism, as measured by nitrogen balance, serum protein concentrations and fat free mass, was similar in subjects consuming either PD or PL.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that 3-carbon compounds decrease weight gain and reaccumulation of body fat, without decreasing body protein gain, in obese subjects with hyperenergetic refeeding subsequent to weight loss.