Milk Polar Lipids Consumption, Lipid Metabolism, and Inflammation in Menopausal Women

Influence of Milk Polar Lipids Intake on Lipid Metabolism, Body Composition, Inflammation and Intestinal Microbiota in Menopausal Women

Polar lipids have a specific chemical structure: they are an essential component of human cell membranes, play a major role in the nervous system and also influence the metabolic pathways including the cholesterol metabolism.

Polar lipids are used in food-processing industry for their emulsification properties. The most famous emulsifier is soya lecithin but milk also naturally contains natural emulsifiers such as polar lipids.

The purpose of this research is to study plasma cholesterol variation after daily intake of milk polar lipids-fortified cheese products. The volunteers will have to consume 100 g of cheese product during four weeks instead of their usual cheese products.

It is a bi-centric study with a centre in LYON (Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine Rhône-Alpes) and CLERMONT-FERRAND (Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine Auvergne).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Menopausal women
• Of less than 75 years old- Body Mass Index of 25 to 35 kg/m2
• Waist circumference greater than 80 cm
• Normal (or not clinically significant) glycemic and lipid parameters

Exclusion Criteria:

• Dairy products allergy or intolerance
• Smokers (more than five cigarettes/day)
• HDL cholesterol greater than 1.5 mmol/L
• Medication that could interfere with lipid metabolism or intestinal microbiota (for example, no antibiotics within the 2 months before the study)
• Hormone replacement treatment for menopause