Impact of flaxseed intake upon metabolic syndrome indicators in female Wistar rats

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether the prolonged consumption of flaxseed minimize the factors that trigger MS in healthy rats. METHODS: Pregnant rats were divided immediately after delivery into two groups during the lactation period, a control group (CG) receiving casein-based diet with 17% of protein, and a Flaxseed group (FG) with casein-based diet plus 25% of flaxseed. At weaning, 12 offspring of each group continued to receive the same feed but with 10% of protein up to 200 days old. RESULTS: FG showed a significant reduction in body weight (p=0.001), total cholesterol levels (p