Low fat milk powder containing esterified plant sterols improves the blood lipid profile of adults with hypercholesterolemia
Sun, J.; Xu, D.; Xie, H.; Wang, Y.; Chen, M.; Chang, X.; Pan, Y.; Liu, Y.; Xue, H.; Zhao, H.; Chen, Y.; Xiao, F.
Zhonghua Xin Xue Guan Bing Za Zhi 42(7): 588-592
2014
ISSN/ISBN: 0253-3758 PMID: 25327602 Document Number: 678199
To observe the impact of plant sterol esters (PSE) mixed in low fat milk powder (2.5 g of PSE/day) on plasma cholesterol levels in hypercholesterolemic subjects during a 6-week intervention period. In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 59 subjects (19 males, mean age (60.28 ± 6.98) years) with primary hypercholesterolemia (fasting LDL cholesterol between 3.4-6.0 mmol/L) were randomly divided into two groups (treatment group, 2.5 g of plant sterol esters a day, n = 30) and placebo group (n = 29). Blood samples were collected at week 0, 3 and 6. The primary outcome was change in plasma LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C). Secondary outcomes were changes in total cholesterol (TC), HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), anthropometry and blood biochemistry. LDL-C significantly reduction from baseline (4.18 ± 0.54) mmol/L to (3.44 ± 0.61) mmol/L (-17.7%, P < 0.05) at week 3 and (3.35 ± 0.39) mmol/L (-19.9%, P < 0.05) at week 6 in the treatment group, whereas in placebo group from (4.11 ± 0.54) mmol/L at baseline to (3.47 ± 0.60) mmol/L (-15.57%, P < 0.05) and (3.61 ± 0.39) mmol/L (-12.17%, P < 0.05) at week 3 and week 6, respectively. TC was reduced from (6.30 ± 0.86) mmol/L at baseline to (5.92 ± 0.75) mmol/L (-6.03%, P > 0.05) at week 3 and (5.43 ± 0.77) mmol/L (-13.8%, P < 0.05) at week 6 in treatment group, from (6.20 ± 0.76) mmol/L at week 0 to (5.70 ± 0.76) mmol/L (-8.06%, P < 0.05) at week 3 and (5.84 ± 0.75) mmol/L (-5.81%, P < 0.05) at week 6 in placebo group. PSE-enriched milk did not affect plasma HDL-C level and TG level at both week 3 and week 6. After normalization to the placebo group, the treatment group showed significant reduction in LDL-C and total cholesteron after 6 weeks. The observed difference of reduction was 7.69% (-0.33 mmol/L, P < 0.05) for LDL-C and 8.00% (-0.51 mmol/L, P < 0.05) for TC between the two groups. There were no significant changes in safety parameters, including blood biochemistry tests during the study period. Plant sterol ester enriched milk powder is effective in reducing LDL-C among Chinese hypercholesterolemic subjects at a dosage recommended by EFSA.