Effect of fresh red beetroot juice on body weight status in obese anemic rats

ABSTRACT

Both anemia and obesity are global epidemics affecting billions of persons worldwide and affect each other. This study aimed to investigate the inverse relationship of anemia and obesity in rats, by studying the ability of ingestion two different doses [5ml and 10 ml/kg/ body weight] of fresh red beetroot juice to enhance hematological parameters in order to decrease the final body weight of obese anemic rats. Twenty eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups[7 rats each] as follow the first group was fed on basal diet only and served as negative control group [-ve], while other rats fed on high fat diet for four weeks to induce obesity, then continuously fed on [ the same diet without iron in mineral mixture and given 10 mg tannic acid/kg diet] for 3 weeks later to induce anemia. The anemic obese rats were divided into three groups, positive control group [+ve] and two other groups given orally [5ml and 10 ml/kg BW] fresh red beetroot juice respectively at the beginning of the day and before introducing the diets. At the end of the experimental period [8weeks], rats were fasted over night before sacrificing, two blood samples were collected, the first sample was collected into a tube containing EDTA anticoagulant and used for determination of red blood cells [RBC] count, Hemoglobin [Hb] concentration and Hematocrit [Hct] percentage, the second blood sample was collected into a centrifuge tube without any anticoagulant and centrifuged to obtain serum which was stored at -20 degree C until used for analysis. The results indicated that, ingestion of both doses 5ml and 10ml/kg BW fresh red beetroot juice significantly decreased [P<0.05] the final body weight and BMI of obese anemic rats, the percent of weight reduction was -30.25% and -39.00 for the rats given [5ml and 10 ml/kg BW] juice respectively, as compared to the initial body weight. This reduction in body weight might be related to treatment of anemia by fresh red beetroot juice [rich in iron content 15.34 mg/100ml juice] ingestion at different levels, the concentration of RBC, Hb, Hct and total iron was significantly increased [p<0.05] as weel as improving the lipid profile, liver and kidney functions, as compared to the control positive group. Furthermore, leptin hormone concentration was significantly decreased [p<0.05] in rats given orally different doses of red beetroot juice as compared with the corresponding value of positive control group. This caused a decrease in the appetite of the rats followed by weight reduction. This study recommends that ingestion of fresh red beetroot juicemay be useful for obese patients who suffer from nemia associated with hyperlipidemia