USE OF KEFIR AS A CO-ADJUVANT IN THE TREATMENT OF METABOLIC SYNDROME COMPONENTS: a Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial

Detailed Summary

Metabolic Syndrome (MS) contributes to the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), CVDs are the leading causes of death in the world. According to epidemiological data from the Ministry of Health, these diseases account for 29.4% of all deaths recorded in Brazil annually. Kefir is obtained by fermenting milk with kefir grains and has been recommended as a therapeutic form for the treatment of various clinical conditions. The hypothesis of the present study is that the daily intake of fermented beverages with kefir grains may reduce the risk factors associated with MS, thus reducing the incidence of CVD. A clinical trial was conducted with 48 volunteers, who presented at least three criteria for the diagnosis of MS. The subjects were divided into two groups that received for eleven weeks fermented dairy drink with kefir (KG) grains or homemade curd (CG). Weight and height measurements were taken to calculate BMI. The body composition evaluation was performed by determining the percentage of body fat and waist circumference (WC). The measurements of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were taken. Blood samples were analyzed for fasting glycemia, glycated hemoglobin (HA1c), total cholesterol (TC), HDL cholesterol, triglycerides (Tg), C-reactive protein (CRP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Creatinophosphokinase (CPK), γ-Glutamyl Transferase (γ-GT), Urea Nitrogen, Urea and Creatinine. The level of non-HDL cholesterol (n-HDL) was determined by calculation. The Framingham score was used to assess the risk of developing cardiovascular events over the next ten years. Eleven weeks into the experiment, all measurements of body evaluation, SBP and DBP and biochemical analysis of blood were reevaluated.

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