L-Serine Supplementation Blunts Fasting-Induced Weight Regain by Increasing Brown Fat Thermogenesis

Abstract

Weight regain after fasting, often exceeding the pre-fasting weight, is a common phenomenon and big problem for the treatment of obesity. Thus, novel interventions maintaining reduced body weight are critically important to prevent metabolic disease. Here we investigate the metabolic effects of dietary L-serine supplementation, known to modulate various organ functions. C57BL/6N-Rj male mice were supplemented with or without 1% L-serine in their drinking water and fed with a chow or high-fat diet. Mice were fed either ad libitum or subjected to repeated overnight fasting. Body weight, body composition, glucose tolerance and energy metabolism were assessed. This was combined with a detailed analysis of the liver and adipose tissues, including the use of primary brown adipocytes to study mitochondrial respiration and protein expression. We find that L-serine supplementation has little impact on systemic metabolism in ad libitum-fed mice. Conversely, L-serine supplementation blunted fasting-induced body weight regain, especially in diet-induced obese mice. This reduction in body weight regain is likely due to the increased energy expenditure, based on elevated brown adipose tissue activity. Thus, L-serine supplementation during and after weight-loss could reduce weight regain and thereby help tackle one of the major problems of current obesity therapies.