A Multi-Ingredient Formulation Modulates Metabolic Responses and Increases Circulating GDF-15 in Leptin-Deficient ob/ob Mice

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Background/Objectives: Obesity is a major chronic disease associated with increased cardiometabolic risk. Multi-ingredient nutritional interventions combining bioactive compounds have been proposed as a strategy to modulate energy balance through complementary metabolic pathways. This study evaluated the effects of a multi-ingredient Formulation on body weight gain and selected metabolic parameters in leptin-deficient B6.V-Lep^ob/ob mice maintained on a high-fat diet. Methods: Male B6.V-Lep^ob/ob mice were treated for 8 weeks with either a multi-ingredient Formulation, L-carnitine tartrate, or Vehicle. Body weight was monitored throughout the study. At study end, plasma biochemical parameters, hepatic glycogen content, organ weights, hematological indices, and circulating growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) concentrations were assessed. Results: Formulation significantly reduced body weight gain compared with both Vehicle and L-carnitine-treated mice. Liver weight was significantly lower in the Formulation group than in Vehicle-treated animals. Hepatic glycogen content and plasma bilirubin concentrations were reduced in both active treatment groups, whereas plasma glucose concentrations were increased. No marked differences were observed in plasma transaminases. Circulating GDF-15 concentrations were significantly higher in the Formulation group compared with Vehicle-treated mice. Conclusions: The tested multi-ingredient Formulation attenuated body weight gain in obese leptin-deficient mice and was associated with lower liver weight, altered carbohydrate-related metabolic parameters, and increased circulating GDF-15 concentrations. These findings support the potential of multi-component nutritional interventions to modulate obesity-related metabolic outcomes and identify elevated circulating GDF-15 as a biomarker warranting further investigation.