Influence of graded levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits

Abstract Dietary CLA inhibits experimental atherosclerosis when fed at a level of 0.1%. In this study rabbits were fed 0.2% cholesterol as part of a semi-purified diet which contained 0, 0.05, 0.075, 0.10 or 0.5% CLA. At levels as low as 0.05% of the diet CLA reduced severity of atherosclerosis in the aortic arch by 20% and in the thoracic aorta by 8%. As dietary concentrations of CLA rose severity of atherosclerosis fell. When the diet contained 0.10% CLA severity of atherosclerosis in the aortic arch and thoracic aorta fell by 40 (p