El consumo de stevia ha sido promovido por su bajo aporte calórico, su efecto antidiabético y antihipercolesterolémico. Sin embargo, los efectos de la ingesta de stevia parecen no ser los mismos para las ratas hembras respecto de los machos. El propósito de este estudio fue evaluar el efecto de la ingesta de stevia sobre el consumo de alimento, peso corporal y niveles de glucosa, insulina, colesterol y triglicéridos en ratas hembras Wistar durante 13 semanas y realizar un análisis predictivo del peso corporal y la ingesta de alimento a 20 semanas. Se utilizaron 20 ratas hembras adultas, que se dividieron en 2 grupos: control (CG) y stevia (SG), ambos grupos recibieron agua y comida a libre acceso, así como una solución de stevia al 0,2 % para el grupo SG. Se registró diariamente el consumo de alimento, agua y solución de stevia; la medición del peso corporal se realizó semanalmente. Al final de las 13 semanas de experimentación, los animales se sacrificaron para evaluar los parámetros metabolicos. El grupo SG mostró un mayor consumo de alimento, mayor proporción de ganancia de peso corporal, niveles de glucosa y colesterol que el grupo CG. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en los niveles de triglicéridos e insulina. Respecto al análisis predictivo (semanas 14-20), se mantiene un incremento significativo en el consumo de alimento y se observa una tendencia de aumento en la proporción de ganancia de peso corporal. Esto indica que el consumo de stevia en ratas hembras parece no tener los mismos efectos benéficos reportados en machos.
Consumption of stevia has been promoted due to its low caloric intake, it’s effects as anti-diabetic and anti-hypercholesterolemic. However, the effects of stevia consumption is apparently not the same in females than males. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of stevia intake on meal consumption, body weight and levels of glucose, insulin, cholesterol and triglycerides in female Wistar rats during 13 weeks and develop a predictive analysis of the body weight and meal intake over 20 weeks. 20 adult female rats were utilized, these were divided into two groups: control (CG) and stevia (SG), both groups received free access to water and food, the SG also received a stevia solution at 0.2%. Consumption of food, water and stevia solution was recorded daily, while weight was recorded weekly. At the end of the 13 weeks of experiment, the subjects were sacrificed to evaluate the metabolic parameters. The SG group showed a higher consumption of food, higher proportion of body weight gain, glucose levels and cholesterol than the CG. No significant differences were found in levels of triglyceride or insulin. Respect to the predictive analysis (weeks 14-20), a significant increase in food consumption is maintained and an increasing trend is observed in the proportion of body weight gain. This indicates that stevia consumption appears not to have the same benefit effects in female rats than male rats.
