The effect of daily fortified yogurt consumption on weight loss in adults with metabolic syndrome: A 10-week randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Obesity is a complex and multifaceted condition. Thus, functional foods need investigation as novel adjunct treatments for obesity. The objective was to determine the effects of daily consumption of a fortified yogurt (FY) on weight loss in overweight and obese patients with metabolic syndrome on a caloric-restricted diet. METHODS AND RESULTS: This was a randomized, double-blind, 10-week study. Participants were randomly allocated to two groups receiving either two servings (2 × 250 g)/day of FY with whey protein, calcium, vitamin D, prebiotic fibre and probiotic cultures (n = 44) or a low-fat plain yogurt (PY) (n = 43). All participants were put on a calorie-restricted diet throughout the 10-week study. Body composition and biochemical indices were assessed before and after the intervention. Body mass decreased by 4.3 ± 1.9 kg and 5.1 ± 3.0 kg in the PY and FY groups, respectively, following the 10-week intervention. Compared to PY, consumption of FY resulted in a significant reduction in body fat mass (FM) (p = 0.023), body fat percentage (p = 0.028), waist circumference (p = 0.002), homoeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (p = 0.025), triglyceride concentration (p = 0.003), and a significant increase in total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration (p < 0.001), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (p = 0.009) and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) (0.022). Participants consuming the FY lost less fat-free mass (FFM) compared to the PY group (Δ = -0.9 ± 3.5 kg vs. Δ = -2.0 ± 2.7 kg; p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Consuming FY for 10-weeks improved body composition and metabolic parameters, while on a caloric-restricted diet. Further research is needed to elucidate whether FY can be used as a preventative strategy for metabolic syndrome in obese persons. TRIAL REGISTRATION: www.irct.ir (IRCT2017050633836N1).

Normal haematopoiesis, cellular components and stainable iron content in the bone marrow of camels (Camelus dromedarius).

Bone marrow samples were collected from the ribs of 20 healthy adult male Iranian camels (Camelus dromedarius). The bone marrow smears were stained using Wright's stain. Blood samples were collected at the same time for routine haematological examination. The development and morphology of the blood cells in the bone marrow of the camels were similar to those of other domestic species. The mean myeloid/erythroid ratio was 1.21, the mean erythroid percentage was 42.7% and the mean myeloid percentage was 52.0%. The mean percentage of other cells was 5.3%. The mean percentage of eosinophils in the myeloid series was higher than in other domestic species. Iron stores, estimated from Perl's stain, ranged from scant (1+) to moderate (3+) but most samples had 2+ iron content. All peripheral blood results were within reference ranges.