title: Effect of dairy fat on plasma phytanic acid in healthy volunteers - a randomized controlled study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Phytanic acid produced in ruminants from chlorophyll may have preventive effects on the metabolic syndrome, partly due to its reported RXR and PPAR- α agonist activity. Milk from cows fed increased levels of green plant material, contains increased phytanic acid concentrations, but it is unknown to what extent minor increases in phytanic acid content in dairy fat leads to higher circulating levels of phytanic acid in plasma of the consumers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate if cow feeding regimes affects concentration of plasma phytanic acid and risk markers of the metabolic syndrome in human.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a double-blind, randomized, 4 wk, parallel intervention study 14 healthy young subjects were given 45 g milk fat/d from test butter and cheese with 0.24 wt% phytanic acid or a control diet with 0.13 wt% phytanic acid. Difference in phytanic acid was obtained by feeding roughage with low or high content of chlorophyll.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There tended to be a difference in plasma phytanic acid (P = 0.0730) concentration after the dietary intervention. Plasma phytanic acid increased significantly within both groups with the highest increase in control group (24%) compared to phytanic acid group (15%). There were no significant effects of phytanic acid on risk markers for the metabolic syndrome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that increased intake of dairy fat modify the plasma phytanic acid concentration, regardless of cows feeding regime and the minor difference in dietary phytanic acid. Whether the phytanic acid has potential to affects the risk markers of the metabolic syndrome in human still remain to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Life, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg 1958, Denmark. lbw@life.ku.dk
authors.forename: Louise B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: Lars I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Hellgren
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raff
authors.forename: Søren K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Rikke A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Tue
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Drachmann
authors.forename: Tine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tholstrup
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003611:Dairy Products; D004032:Diet; D005223:Fats / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010831:Phytanic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005223:Fats; D010831:Phytanic Acid