2.6. Venous Blood Sampling and Analysis
dyslipidemia
BLOOD, INSULIN RESISTANCE, DYSLIPIDEMIA
Blood was collected in the morning following an overnight 10 h fast (no food or caffeine) and the participants were instructed to consume 250 mL of water prior to arrival. Blood was taken from the antecubital vein and drawn into evacuated tubes with heparin for plasma collection, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) for plasma collection, and non-treated tubes were used to collect serum. Serum and plasma samples were immediately taken to the Core Laboratory at McMaster University Medical Centre for the analysis of the following panel of tests for general blood biochemistry: complete blood count (CBC), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatine kinase (CK), creatinine, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Markers of dyslipidemia (i.e., triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol) and blood sugar control (i.e., glucose, insulin) were measured. Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated as the equation [fasting insulin (U/L) × fasting glucose (nmol/L)/22.5] [