# Impact of Intended Isocaloric Early versus Late Time‐Restricted Eating on Plasma Lipidome in Women with Overweight or Obesity: Secondary Analysis of the ChronoFast Trial

## TL;DR

This study compares how eating earlier versus later in the day affects lipid levels in overweight or obese women, finding significant changes with early eating.

## Contribution

The study reveals that early time-restricted eating significantly alters plasma lipid profiles and impacts the glycerophospholipid pathway in adipose tissue.

## Key findings

- Early TRE leads to significant changes in 103 lipid species, including reduced ceramides and phosphatidylcholines.
- Early TRE affects desaturation and elongation indices, suggesting altered lipid metabolism.
- Integration with adipose tissue data shows TRE timing impacts the glycerophospholipid pathway and enzyme expression.

## Abstract

Time‐restricted eating (TRE) is a promising strategy against metabolic disorders, but its effects on lipid metabolism remain controversial. The present research assesses and compares the impact of early (eTRE) versus late (lTRE) TRE on the plasma lipidomic profile. This is an exploratory outcome of the previously published randomized crossover trial, which examines 31 women with overweight or obesity who follow a two‐week eTRE and a two‐week lTRE in an intended isocaloric setting. Blood plasma and subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies are analyzed using shotgun lipidomics and transcriptomics, respectively. Between interventions and within the lTRE, lipid species and classes, as well as enzyme activity indices, are not substantially changed. Within the eTRE, changes are observed for 103 lipid species, including a reduction of ceramide and phosphatidylcholine classes, and for the desaturation indices D5D, D6D, and D9D, as well as the elongation index ELOVL6. Combined analysis of plasma lipidome and adipose tissue reveals alterations in the glycerophospholipid pathway and in the expression of phospholipase enzymes PLB1, PLA2G6, and PLAG4B, dependent on TRE timing. These results suggest that eating timing during TRE may be crucial for remodeling the plasma lipidome and adipose tissue transcriptome and highlight the need of future lipidomic research in TRE.

Women with overweight or obesity follow intended isocaloric early and late time‐restricted eating (TRE) in a crossover trial. Shotgun plasma lipidomics reveals no significant differences between interventions, but identify pronounced lipid changes—including reductions in ceramides and phosphatidylcholines—within the early TRE. Integration with adipose tissue transcriptome data reveals the impact of eating timing on the glycerophospholipid pathway.