Circadian rhythms of plasma lipid and protein levels in daytime food-restricted rats

The present study aims to investigate the effect of daytime food restriction (from 20:00 to 08:00 h) for 21 days to Wistar rats on 24-h rhythms of plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acid, phospholipids, and total protein. Daytime food restriction was found to cause acrophase delays in cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acid, phospholipids, and total protein rhythms. Mesor values of these rhythms were found to be decreased during daytime food restriction. Altered amplitude and r values were also found in daytime food-restricted rats. These circadian alterations during daytime food restriction clearly indicate that it could cause modulated temporal endocrine profile and biochemical profile related to digestion, absorption and metabolism.