Ionic Detoxification Ameliorates Obesity and Reduces Fatty Liver in Rats Exposed to a High-Fat Diet

Ionic detoxification (ID) or ionic water bath treatment is considered a simple alternative method to enhance health, but it currently lacks robust scientific evidence to support its efficacy. The hypothesis underlying this study is that consistent ID treatment may facilitate the elimination of toxic molecules from the body and ameliorate metabolic disorders, including obesity. To assess the impact of ID treatment on obesity and fatty liver induced by a high-fat diet, male Wistar rats were subjected to either a low-fat control diet, a high-fat (HF) diet, or a HF diet accompanied by ID treatment (administered three times per week) over an 11-week period. The study measured triglyceride levels and examined the expression of genes related to fatty acid metabolism in both perirenal adipose tissue and the liver. Results showed that rats fed the HF diet exhibited significantly increased body weight, liver weight, and adipose tissue weight (both perirenal and epididymal) compared to those on the low-fat diet. However, the rats subjected to ID treatment alongside the HF diet displayed a significant reduction in body weight and perirenal adipose tissue weight induced by the high-fat diet. Furthermore, ID treatment led to a decrease in hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride contents. Regarding liver function, ID treatment primarily affected fatty acid metabolism. It significantly reduced the expression of genes involved in fatty acid synthesis (such as acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase mRNA) more significantly than those associated with fatty acid oxidation (such as carnitine palmitoyl-transferase 1 and acyl CoA oxidase mRNA). This suggests that ID treatment may decrease the production of fatty acids in the liver, which could contribute to lower triglyceride levels.