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Lipid-lowering effects of a modified butter-fat: a controlled intervention trial in healthy men

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 56, pages 64–71 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the lipid-lowering potential of a butter-fat modified through manipulations in bovine feeding to increase the unsaturated:saturated fatty acid ratio.

Design: Double-blind, randomised, cross-over intervention trial.

Setting: University of Auckland Human Nutrition Unit, New Zealand.

Subjects: Twenty healthy, male subjects.

Intervention: A residential trial in which all foods and beverages were provided during two intervention periods, comprising 3 weeks of high unsaturated ‘modified’ vs 3 weeks of saturated ‘control’ butter feeding separated by a 4 week washout. Diets were of typical composition of 39 percentage energy (en%) fat (20 en% butter-fat), 48 en% CHO, 13 en% protein.

Results: There was a significant decrease in both total (P<0.05, −7.9%) and LDL-cholesterol (P<0.01, −9.5%) during modified butter feeding. There was no significant effect of treatment on a range of other risk factors including HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, apolipoprotein A or B, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), haemostatic clotting factor VII and fibrinogen or glucose (P>0.05). Subjects were maintained in energy balance and there was no significant change in body weight during intervention. Butter-fat composition alone differed between treatments.

Conclusions: A significant improvement in cardiovascular risk can be achieved by moderate changes in dietary fatty acid profile, achieved through a common and well accepted food source, butter-fat.

Sponsorship: New Zealand Dairy Board, Wellington; Auckland Uniservices Ltd, Auckland; Maurice & Phyllis Paykel Trust, Auckland, New Zealand.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Glyn Muir who ran the metabolic kitchen throughout this trial. We are also grateful to Jenneke van Drunen, Esther de Swart, Tracey Petley-Hibbs and Truusje Broekhoff for their considerable assistance during studentships. Cynthia Tse provided laboratory and administrative support throughout. Thanks must also go to all participants who were resident at the Nutrition Unit for several months during this cross-over trial.

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Author notes

  1. SD Poppitt: Guarantor: SD Poppitt.

  2. SD Poppitt, GF Keogh, TB Mulvey, BH McArdle, AKH MacGibbon and GJS Cooper: Contributors: SDP—principal investigator, protocol design and senior author; GFK—trial co-ordinator, volunteer recruitment, dietary design and phlebotomy; TBM—senior laboratory analyst; BHM—biostatistician; AKHM—senior scientist in charge of animal feeding trials and butter production; GJSC—professor and head of group, fundraiser, clinician in charge of human volunteers.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, New Zealand

    SD Poppitt & GJS Cooper

  2. Human Nutrition and Metabolic Unit, University of Auckland, New Zealand

    SD Poppitt & GF Keogh

  3. School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand

    GF Keogh, TB Mulvey & GJS Cooper

  4. Department of Statistics, University of Auckland, New Zealand

    BH McArdle

  5. NZDRI, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    AKH MacGibbon

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  1. SD Poppitt
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Correspondence to SD Poppitt.

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Poppitt, S., Keogh, G., Mulvey, T. et al. Lipid-lowering effects of a modified butter-fat: a controlled intervention trial in healthy men. Eur J Clin Nutr 56, 64–71 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601282

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601282

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