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This study was designed to determine whether a soluble dietary fiber supplement containing gum arabic and pectin in apple juice would lower serum lipids in 110 hypercholesterolemic men and women. Subjects were stabilized on an American Heart Association Phase I Diet for 8 wk. Those with elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, despite dietary modification, continued to follow the diet and were randomly assigned to receive 720 mL/d of apple juice containing 0 (control), 5, 9 or 15 g of gum arabic and pectin (4:1 ratio) for 12 wk, followed by a 6-wk apple juice-only washout phase. Serum lipid profiles, body weight and 3-day diet records were collected at 3-wk intervals. No significant differences among groups were observed in serum lipid responses during treatment or washout. During the treatment phase, mean serum total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations increased by 3.5 and 28.5%, respectively (all groups combined, P < 0.0001). The high density lipoprotein cholesterol level did not change significantly from baseline in any group. During washout, mean total cholesterol concentration rose by an additional 2.4% (P < 0.05) compared with the value at the end of the treatment period, suggesting that the apple juice used to deliver the fiber supplement may have contributed to the adverse changes observed in the serum lipid profile. These findings do not support the hypothesized hypocholesterolemic effect of the gum arabic/pectin (4:1) mixture studied, but do underline the importance of selecting appropriate vehicles for delivery of dietary fiber mixtures.

The effects of consuming foods containing 0 (control), 3.4, 6.8, or 10.2 g psyllium seed husk (PSH)/d for 24 wk on the serum lipid profile were assessed in this randomized, double-blind controlled study. Men and women (n = 286) with LDL-cholesterol concentrations between 3.36 and 5.68 mmol/L (130 and 220 mg/dL) were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups after following a low-fat diet for > or = 8 wk. At week 24, LDL cholesterol was 3% above baseline in the control group. In the group consuming 10.2 g PSH/d, LDL cholesterol remained below baseline during treatment, with a value 5.3% below that of the control group at week 24 (P < 0.05 compared with the control group). No significant differences were observed in HDL cholesterol or triacylglycerol. Although modest, the effect of 10.2 g PSH/d on LDL cholesterol (relative to the control) persisted throughout the 24-wk treatment period, indicating potential for long-term benefit.

Background/Objectives:Consumption of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), a viscous dietary fiber, lowers total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). However, HPMC had not previously been studied in individuals receiving lipid drug therapy.Subjects/Methods:This randomized, double-blind crossover trial examined the lipid effects of HPMC in subjects with hypercholesterolemia on statin therapy. Men (n=5) and women (n=8) with LDL-C2.59 mmol/l after at least 4 weeks of stable-dose statin therapy, and a mean age of 58.6 years, were enrolled. Subjects received twice daily doses of either 2.5 g HPMC or control, delivered in a lemonade beverage for 4 weeks, then crossed over to receive the opposite treatment for an additional 4 weeks.Results:Mean baseline concentrations of TC, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), LDL-C, HDL-C, triglyceride (TG), TC/HDL-C ratio and apolipoprotein (Apo) B were 4.95, 3.63, 3.03, 1.33, 1.30 and 3.89 mmol/l and 1.00 g/l, respectively. HPMC consumption resulted in significantly larger reductions (P<0.01 vs control for all) in TC (−10.9 vs −3.5%), non-HDL-C (−12.8 vs −2.9%), LDL-C (−15.7 vs −5.1%), TC/HDL-C ratio (−5.3 vs +1.3%) and Apo B (−8.7 vs −3.9%). There were no differences between treatments for changes in HDL-C (−5.2 vs −4.3%) or TG (+3.9 vs +8.9%).Conclusions:These results support the view that HPMC is an effective adjunct to statin therapy for further lowering atherogenic lipids and lipoproteins in men and women with primary hypercholesterolemia.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2009) 63, 1001–1007; doi:10.1038/ejcn.2009.9; published online 11 February 2009 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inulin is a carbohydrate belonging to a class of compounds known as fructans. Because inulin is resistant to digestion in the upper gastrointestional tract it reaches the large intestine essentially intact, where it is fermented by indigenous bacteria. Thus, it may be classified as a soluble dietary fiber. Soluble fibers have been shown to modulate serum lipids. A recent study examined the effect of consuming three servings per day of inulin-containing foods, compared with the effect of similar foods without inulin, on serum lipid profiles among hypercholesterolemic men and women. In addition, the practicality of including 18 g/d of inulin in a low fat diet was investigated. The recent study randomized, double-blind, crossover trial with two 6-wk treatment periods, separated by a 6-wk washout. Men and women (n = 21) with baseline LDL increased significantly (7.4 and 12.3%, respectively) during the control phase. There were small, nonsignificant declines in total (1.3%) and LDL-C (2.1%) during the inulin phase. Thus, differences in response between periods (inulin - control) were significant (P < 0.05) for LDL-C (-14.4%) and total cholesterol (-8.7%). Mild gastrointestinal discomfort was more common during the inulin than the control food phase; however, the gastrointestinal side-effect profile of inulin was similar to that of other soluble fibers. Although it was not possible to draw firm conclusions, inulin may have blunted the hypercholesterolemic effects observed during consumption of control foods. Additional research will be required to confirm the possible lipid-modulating properties of dietary inulin in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]