BACKGROUND: Pomegranate seed oil has been shown to protect against diet induced 
obesity and insulin resistance.
OBJECTIVE: To characterize the metabolic effects of punicic acid on high fat 
diet induced obesity and insulin resistance.
DESIGN: High-fat diet or high-fat diet with 1% Pomegranate seed oil (PUA) was 
fed for 12 weeks to induce obesity and insulin resistance. We assessed body 
weight and composition (pSABRE DEXA-scan), energy expenditure (Columbus 
Instruments) and insulin sensitivity at the end of the 12 weeks.
RESULTS: PSO intake resulted in a lower body weight, 30.5±2.9 vs 33.8±3.2 g PSO 
vs HFD respectively, p=0.02, without affecting food intake or energy 
expenditure. The lower body weight was fully explained by a decreased body fat 
mass, 3.3±2.3 vs 6.7±2.7 g for PSO and HFD fed mice, respectively, p=0.02. 
Insulin clamps showed that PSO did not affect liver insulin sensitivity but 
clearly improved peripheral insulin sensitivity, 164±52% vs 92±24% for PSO and 
HFD fed mice respectively, p=0.01.
CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that dietary PSO ameliorates high-fat diet induced 
obesity and insulin resistance in mice, independent of changes in food intake or 
energy expenditure.