Date of Award
8-1-2016
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Food and Nutrition
First Advisor
Davis, Jeremy
Abstract
Due to the growing prevalence of NAFLD/NASH, our study is aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of flax-based diets in aged laying hens. We randomly assigned 1200 single-comb white Leghorn hens approximately three years of age to a low-fat control diet (CON) or experimental diets containing either corn oil (CRN), fish oil (FISH), flaxseed oil (FXO), partially defatted flaxseed meal (DFM), or whole flaxseed meal (WFX). Our results concluded hens supplemented with WFX ameliorated the progression of NAFLD. AST levels, body weight and liver weight were improved in hens fed the WFX diet. Also, hens fed the FXO diet expressed a significant reduction in liver weight; whereas DFM diets improved the AST levels. Though, our research provided limited results for the DFM and FXO diets, we were able to demonstrate the hepatoprotective effects of WFX in aged laying hens. Thereby concluding WFX may be used as a potential therapeutic treatment for reducing the progression of NAFLD/NASH in humans.
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