Application of a daily low magnitude mechanical signal reduces adiposity in male mice

The development of obesity and diabetes is often attributable to a sedentary lifestyle, with a common therapeutic intervention being exercise.1 While the presumption has been that more strenuous workouts are more effective in the suppression of adipogenesis, here we show that 15 weeks of brief, daily exposure to high frequency, low magnitude mechanical signals suppresses adipogenesis by 26% in the young adult mouse. Concomitant with this decrease in fat, we observe an increase in both lean volume and bone volume of the animal. Biochemically, this mechanical signal reduces non-esterified free fatty acid and triglyceride content in the liver by 43% and 39%, respectively. The applied signal is induced at a magnitude well below that which would arise during walking and is relatively short in duration. The brevity and low intensity of this mechanical intervention suggests a powerful means of inhibiting the formation of adipose tissue, and subsequently lowering free fatty acid and triglyceride content in several key tissues.