2.4. Laboratory Testing
CLOT
Fasting blood samples were obtained at baseline (day 1) and on the last day of the study (day 28). The samples were collected in three BD Vacutainer SST tubes, allowed to clot at room temperature for 30–45 min. Then, serum was separated using centrifugation at 3400 rpm for 10 min and stored at −80 °C. Serum was analyzed for three panels of metabolic (ALT, ALK, AST, free T3, free T4, GGT, total T3, total T4, TSH, T-uptake, and Vitamin D), lipid (cholesterol, ultra HDL), and inflammatory (CRP, IgA, IgE, IgG, IgM) markers using the Abbott (Chicago, IL, USA) Architect ci4100 following the manufacturer’s instructions (Morning first void urine samples on day 1 and day 28 were collected for assessment of the hepatic detox profile (phase I D-glucaric acid, phase II mercapturic acids, and creatinine) and the urine porphyrin profile (uroporphyrins, heptacarboxylporphyrins, hexacarboxylporphyrins, pentacarboxylporphyrins, coproporphyrins 1-3, total porphyrins, including precoproporphyrins 1-3, total precoproporphyrins, and creatinine) using commercial testing services (Doctor’s Data, St. Charles, IL, USA). 