Hemp Seed Oil Effects on Female Rats Fed a High-Fat Diet and Modulating Adiponectin, Leptin, and Lipid Profile

Background: The prevalence of obesity is increasing dramatically worldwide. Obesity injuries have been linked to the alteration of many health biomarkers in humans. Consuming a 2.5:1 ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 helps to restore standard health biomarkers. Hemp, the non-psychoactive variety of Cannabis Sativa L., has a long history of being used as a source of food, fiber, and medicine. One of its attractive features is the favorable omega-6:omega-3 ratio found in its seed oil (HSO), making it a promising functional food for mitigating obesity-related injuries. Methods: A total of 84 female Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups. Two control groups ( n = 21 each) were fed with a standard diet supplemented with 10% HSO. Two other equivalent groups consumed a high-fat diet, and one was supplemented with 10% HSO. Rats were euthanized from each group at 5, 10, or 15 weeks to measure body weight change, food intake, and several health biomarkers. Results: The results demonstrated that body weight gain and triglycerides were lower ( p ≤ 0.05) for the control group supplemented with HSO compared with the other groups. Adiponectin concentration was lower ( p ≤ 0.05) in both the control and high-fat treated groups. Other biomarkers were comparable among treatment diets. Conclusion: Our results suggest the usefulness of HSO supplementation for the overall health status.