Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) Depletion-repletion: Metabolism and Bioactivity in Humans

After collecting baseline blood samples, CLA-depletion phase started with dietary orientation, by a registered dietitian, to the study subjects (n=29) to exclude from their diets any type of dairy fat for the following 8 weeks. Blood samples were taken at the end of CLA-depletion, and CLA-repletion phase was initiated by dietitians' instructions: volunteers returned to their regular diets, and additionally consumed a CLA-enriched butter for another 8-week period. Blood samples were taken at the end of the CLA-repletion phase. The effects of CLA on the following parameters were evaluated: inflammatory mediators; fatty acid composition of erythrocytes, plasma phospholipids and cholesterol esters; body composition; clinical factors associated with the metabolic syndrome and indicators of cell membranes' stability.