Coccygeal blood samples were collected in 10 ml Vacutainer
tubes containing sodium heparin (BD Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA)
at 0730, 1430 and 2030 h on day 16 and immediately put on
ice. The blood was centrifuged at 15003g for 20min at 48C
within 1 h of sampling, and plasma was stored at 2208C for
later analysis of cholesterol, glucose and triglycerides.