By feeding the special diets of arctic ground squirrels, researchers have discovered that omega-3 fatty acids, which are common in flax seeds and fish oil, help keep the animals more healthy. warmth in hibernation.
A study led by the University of Alaska Fairbanks fed ground squirrels either a diet high in omega-3s or a normal laboratory diet, and measured how the animals would subsequently sleep. The researchers found that the omega-3 diet helped the animals hibernate a little warmer than usual without adversely affecting hibernation. The omega-3 diets also increased the amount of heat-producing fat, called adipose brown fat, that the animals pack.
This finding could lead to a better understanding of how hibernation works and why animals eat certain types of food. The study was published Jan. 14 in the journal Scientific Reports.
“Arctic ground squirrels have the sexual ability to withstand subzero harsh temperatures for an incredible amount of time,” said Monica Mikes, who at the time of the study was an undergraduate researcher at UAF and a scholar in Biomedical Learning and Student Training. the university.
Mikes, who also co-designed the study, noted that the animals are able to bring their body temperature under freezing. How hibernation regulates body temperature has been fascinated by researchers for more than a century. Maybe the type of fat they eat has something to do with it.
Recent studies have found that omega-3s can affect metabolism in uninfected animals. Since wild sleepers are known to eat a diet rich in omega-3 foods, the researchers wanted to find out if these animals benefited from eating that diet.
“Fat is very important in hibernation,” said lead author Sarah Rice, who was a Ph.D. student at UAF Institute of Arctic Biology at the time of the study. “Not only do these animals stay off their fat stores, but the more people study specific types of fat, the more they will understand specific types of fat that help to ‘controlling and identifying the body to do certain things. “
Scientists know that hibernation specifically seeks out and stores polyunataturated fatty acids, known as PUFAs, before hibernation. Although omega-6 PUFAs have been well studied in hibernation and are known to reduce temperature, omega-3s have been less well studied.
As arctic earth squirrels get really cold in their natural caves, eating more omega-3s to help increase adipose browning can help protect against extreme cold in the country. Researchers in this study did not study what foods could provide ground squirrels with such omega-3s.
People know that eating omega-3s as a fish oil is good for them. Apparently, squirrels may also understand this, and it may have particular effects for hibernators. “
Sarah Rice, Lead Author
Source:
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Magazine Reference:
Rice, SA, et al. (2021) Omega 3 fatty acids stimulate thermogenesis during torpor in Arctic Ground Squirrels. Scientific Reports. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78763-8.