title: Effects of butter from mountain-pasture grazing cows on risk markers of the metabolic syndrome compared with conventional Danish butter: a randomized controlled study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is considerable interest in dairy products from low-input systems, such as mountain-pasture grazing cows, because these products are believed to be healthier than products from high-input conventional systems. This may be due to a higher content of bioactive components, such as phytanic acid, a PPAR-agonist derived from chlorophyll. However, the effects of such products on human health have been poorly investigated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effect of milk-fat from mountain-pasture grazing cows (G) and conventionally fed cows (C) on risk markers of the metabolic syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a double-blind, randomized, 12-week, parallel intervention study, 38 healthy subjects replaced part of their habitual dietary fat intake with 39 g fat from test butter made from milk from mountain-pasture grazing cows or from cows fed conventional winter fodder. Glucose-tolerance and circulating risk markers were analysed before and after the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences in blood lipids, lipoproteins, hsCRP, insulin, glucose or glucose-tolerance were observed. Interestingly, strong correlations between phytanic acid at baseline and total (P<0.0001) and LDL cholesterol (P=0.0001) were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lack of effects on blood lipids and inflammation indicates that dairy products from mountain-pasture grazing cows are not healthier than products from high-input conventional systems. Considering the strong correlation between LDL cholesterol and phytanic acid at baseline, it may be suggested that phytanic acid increases total and LDL cholesterol.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01343589.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Sciences, 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: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002079:Butter; D002417:Cattle; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D060434:Herbivory; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008892:Milk
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004041:Dietary Fats; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D002079:Butter