MK. Duda, KM. O'Shea, B. Lei, BR. Barrows, AM. Azimzadeh, TE. McElfresh, BD. Hoit, WJ. Kop, et al. (2008). Low-carbohydrate/high-fat diet attenuates pressure overload-induced ventricular remodeling and dysfunction. Journal of cardiac failure, 14(4), 327-35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2007.11.003

PubMed 18474346

[Abstract]
BACKGROUND: It is not known how carbohydrate and fat intake affect the development of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and contractile dysfunction in response to pressure overload. We hypothesized that a low-carbohydrate/high-fat diet prevents LV hypertrophy and dysfunction compared with high-carbohydrate diets.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Rats were fed high-carbohydrate diets composed of either starch or sucrose, or a low-carbohydrate/high-fat diet, and underwent abdominal aortic banding (AAB) for 2 months. AAB increased LV mass with all diets. LV end-diastolic and systolic volumes and the ratio of the mRNA for myosin heavy chain beta/alpha were increased with both high-carbohydrate diets but not with the low-carbohydrate/high-fat diet. Circulating levels of insulin and leptin, both stimulants for cardiac growth, were lower, and free fatty acids were higher with the low-carbohydrate/high-fat diet compared with high-carbohydrate diets. Among animals that underwent AAB, LV volumes were positively correlated with insulin and LV mass correlated with leptin.

CONCLUSION: A low-carbohydrate/high-fat diet attenuated pressure overload-induced LV remodeling compared with high-carbohydrate diets. This effect corresponded to lower insulin and leptin concentrations, suggesting they may contribute to the development of LV hypertrophy and dysfunction under conditions of pressure overload.