Combined beneficial effect of voluntary exercise and vitamin D supplementation on diet-induced obesity

This study explores the combined effects of physical exercise (PE) and vitamin D (VD) supplementation on metabolic health, focusing on weight management, glucose homeostasis, metabolic inflammation and hepatic steatosis. Male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to a high-fat, high-sugar (HFS) diet for 10 weeks, then divided over 15 weeks into different groups receiving either PE, VD supplementation or both interventions combined.

Results showed that exercise alone reduced body mass gain, adiposity and adipocyte hypertrophy, while vitamin D alone had no significant effect on these parameters. However, adipose tissue inflammation induced by the HFS diet is attenuated by both exercise and vitamin D. In addition, the combination of the two interventions significantly improves insulin sensitivity and reduces hepatic steatosis, as evidenced by a decrease in hepatic triglyceride content and normalization of the expression of genes involved in hepatic lipogenesis.

In conclusion, the combination of exercise and vitamin D shows additive beneficial effects on some obesity-related metabolic complications, notably insulin resistance and liver disease. This approach could be an interesting strategy to integrate into obesity management programs.