This study investigated the effects of short-term caloric restriction on intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) and the relationships between changes in IMCL and whole-body metabolism. It also addressed the effects of a 6 day very low-calorie diet (VLCD) on IMCL in subjects with untreated type 2 diabetes (n=7) and in nondiabetic obese individuals (n=5). Results indicate that short-term caloric restriction markedly reduces IMCL in men with or without type 2 diabetes and is accompanied by an overall increase in insulin sensitivity. Another finding is that IMCL is associated with insulin sensitivity and waist circumference before and after a severe caloric restriction, but neither IMCL nor insulin sensitivity are related to measures of general adiposity such as body mass index, percentage of body fat, or total body fat. The authors suggest that measures of regional adiposity, IMCL, and abdominal fat, rather than measures of generalized adiposity, might be more relevant pathophysiologically for insulin resistance. Despite the study’s small sample size, its results suggest that IMCL may be a new target in the treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome.
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