Effect of phytosterols and inulin-enriched soymilk on LDL-cholesterol in Thai subjects: a double-blinded randomized controlled trial

Abstract

BackgroundHypercholesterolemia, particularly high LDL-c and non-HDL-c levels, is a traditional risk for cardiovascular disease. Ingestion of diets containing phytosterols and inulin can reduce plasma LDL-c and triglyceride levels, respectively. Phytosterols and inulin-enriched soymilk may be an alternative for a supplemental diet to improve both LDL-c and non-HDL-c to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.MethodsTwo hundred and forty subjects who were 18 years old or older and had a baseline LDL-c of 130 mg/dl or higher were enrolled into the double-blinded randomized controlled trial study. Subjects were randomly assigned into the study group that received 2 g/day of phytosterols and 10 g/day of inulin-enriched soymilk or into the control group that received standard soymilk. The lipid profile was measured every 2 weeks for 8 weeks. Primary outcomes were 1) to determine the LDL-c reduction after consumption of phytosterols and inulin-enriched soymilk for 8 weeks and 2) to compare the difference of the LDL-c levels between the study and control groups. The secondary outcomes were to compare the difference of TC, TG and HDL-c between the study and control groups.ResultsAt the end of the study, the median LDL-c levels decreased significantly from 165 (132, 254) mg/dl to 150 (105, 263) mg/dl in the study group (p < 0.001) and from 165 (130, 243) mg/dl to 159 (89, 277) mg/dl in the control group (p = 0.014). The LDL-c reduction was significantly better in the study group (−10.03 %, (−37.07, 36.00) vs −1.31 % (−53.40, 89.73), p < 0.001). TC also reduced significantly by 6.60 % in the study group while it reduced only by 1.76 % in the control group (p < 0.001). There were no statistical differences in TG and HDL-c levels between both study groups. The adverse events in the study group and the control groups were not different (RR 1.33 [0.871-2.030, 95 % CI]).ConclusionDaily consumption of soymilk containing 2 g of phytosterols and 10 g of inulin reduced TC and LDL-c better than standard soymilk. It had no effect on TG and HDL-c levels compared to standard soymilk. Both soymilk products were comparably safe.Trial registrationThai Clinical Trial Registry: TCTR20150417001 date: April 17, 2015Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12944-015-0149-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Inulin-Enriched Low Fat Milk Improved Lipid Profile in Indonesian Hypercholesterolemic Adults

“…Previously, inulin supplementation (7-18 g/day, 4-6 weeks length) seemed to decrease blood cholesterol effectively in hypercholesterolemic subjects [3]- [5], [7]. Similar results were also seen in a meta-analysis conducted by Wu et al and a study in Thai population [8], [9]. Though the effects of inulin-enriched products on the lipid profile have been confirmed in many ethnicities, little of them is known in Indonesian population.…”

Antidiabetic Activity of Ergosterol from Pleurotus Ostreatus in KK‐Ay Mice with Spontaneous Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

“…Phytosterols are a group of natural bioactive products mainly found in plants and have a similar structure to cholesterol, with no toxicity to humans and animals . Studies have reported that phytosterols can significantly reduce total cholesterol (TC) and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) in the blood, and increase the index of high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C)/LDL‐C and HDL‐C/TC …”

“…[9] Studies have reported that phytosterols can significantly reduce total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the blood, and increase the index of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)/LDL-C and HDL-C/TC. [10,11] Ergosterol (ERG) is a member of the phytosterol family and is derived from edible fungi. It is a biological precursor of vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and is the principal component maintaining the integrity of fungal cell membranes.…”

Evidence for the Effectiveness of Soy in Aging and Improving Quality of Life

“…This may be due to the fact that the phytosterols, like those found in soy, compete with cholesterol for intestinal absorption [97]. A 2015 study [98] investigated the effect of 8 weeks of standard soymilk supplementation against the effect of 2 g/day of phytosterols and 10 g/day of inulin-enriched soymilk supplementation. While both groups did see a reduction in LDL-C in both groups, the study group supplementing with the extra phytosterols and inulin saw significantly better results.…”