Milk improved the metabolic syndrome in obese β rats

The response of adult spontaneously obese rats from the IIMb/Beta strain fed a high calcium skimmed milk diet (MHCa), high calcium from carbonate (HCa) and a normal AIN 93 diet during 45 days was evaluated. Body weight, food intake and fecal fat excretion were measured. At the end of the experiment rats were euthanized, abdominal fat pads and livers were excised and weighed. Blood and liver triacylglycerols, total cholesterol and fractions were quantified. Body weight increase and abdominal fat pads in the MHCa group were significantly lower than in the other two. Plasma triacylglycerols, total and LDL-cholesterol were diminished in the MHCa group. Fecal lipid excretion was increased in the adult MHCa group. Total liver lipids and triacylglycerols showed a significant diminution in the MHCa group. These results suggest that calcium and other bioactive compounds from milk, most probably present in whey fraction, and not calcium carbonate exerted an "anti-obesity" effect on these rats.