The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether following a Mediterranean-style diet or a Carnivore-style diet can improve heart and metabolic health in men and women aged 30-60 years with high LDL cholesterol. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does following a Mediterranean or Carnivore diet change how easily LDL cholesterol particles clump together (LDL aggregation susceptibility)? 2. Do these two diets have different effects on other measures of heart and metabolic health, such as blood fats, blood vessel function, and overall wellbeing? Researchers will compare people who follow the Mediterranean-style diet with those who follow the Carnivore-style diet to see which diet produces more beneficial changes in cholesterol and heart health markers. Participants will: * Attend three visits at Liverpool John Moores University for screening and data collection. * Be randomly assigned to follow either the Mediterranean or Carnivore diet for 3 weeks, matched for calories and protein. * Provide fasting blood, urine, and stool samples before and after the diet period. * Complete non-invasive cardiovascular tests to measure blood vessel and heart function. * Take part in a short interview and complete questionnaires about their experience of following the diet.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
30
The intervention diet will consist of isocaloric consumption of exclusively of animal-based products, including red meat, poultry, and limited amounts of dairy products for 3 weeks. The diet will exclude plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds to reflect a traditional Carnivore-style dietary pattern.
The intervention diet will consist of isocaloric consumption of foods typical of a traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil, and fish, for a period of 3 weeks. The diet will include moderate amounts of poultry and dairy products and limited amounts of red and processed meat, refined carbohydrates, and added sugars.
Tom Reilly Building, Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool, United Kingdom
LDL aggregation susceptibility
To measure changes in how easily LDL cholesterol particles 'clump' together in the blood vessels from baseline to post-intervention, assessed via plasma lipid and lipoprotein analysis.
Time frame: Baseline and 3 weeks.
Plasma lipid and lipoprotein profile
Changes in plasma levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides will be determined via enzymatic analysis and measured in mmol/L.
Time frame: Baseline and 3 weeks.
Lipoprotein particle size
Changes in lipoprotein particle size (diameter) will be measured via Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and expressed in nanometers.
Time frame: Baseline and 3 weeks.
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