Comparison of psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid and cellulose as adjuncts to a prudent diet in the treatment of mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia

Article Abstract:

Studies show that hypercholesterolemia (elevated blood cholesterol) increases the risk of coronary heart disease, a build-up of fatty plaques inside the major blood vessels supplying the heart. As many as 36 percent of adult Americans who are 20 to 74 years old have blood cholesterol levels above 200 milligrams per deciliter, a recently proposed definition for hypercholesterolemia. Public awareness of appropriate diets to reduce blood cholesterol levels is increasing. Several drugs have been developed to treat hypercholesterolemia, although many have unfavorable side effects. Foods containing soluble fiber, such as oat bran and certain legumes, can reduce cholesterol levels without adverse effects on health. Early studies showed that consumption of a form of water-soluble fiber called psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid may reduce blood cholesterol. In the current study, the effects of psyllium were compared with those of cellulose (an insoluble fiber, used as a placebo). Ninety-six men and women with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia participated; all followed a diet designed to lower cholesterol, and half the subjects used psyllium while the other half took cellulose as a dietary supplement. The substances were given in doses of 5.1 grams (g) twice daily for 16 weeks. As compared with the placebo (cellulose), psyllium decreased average levels of total cholesterol by 5.6 percent and average levels of low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by 8.6 percent. The levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were not changed by the placebo. Levels of high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol dropped during the period of adjustment to the diet but returned to close to the original level by the end of the 16 weeks. Blood levels of triglycerides were not altered in patients treated with psyllium or placebo. Ninety-five percent of patients adhered to their diet requirements. These findings suggest that psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid given twice daily is both safe and effective as a supplement to diets used to treat hypercholesterolemia. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Physiological aspects, Dietary supplements

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Cholesterol-lowering effects of psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid

Article Abstract:

Coronary heart disease is the most pervasive cause of death in the U.S. The condition has been associated with elevated blood cholesterol levels and particularly with the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the blood. This risk factor should be kept as low as possible, as the risk is proportional to the level of LDL. Recent reports have suggested that psyllium suspensions (a fiber derived the plant genus Plantago; the over-the-counter drug Metamucil) can be an important adjunct to patients wishing to lower their blood LDL levels. Seventy-five patients with mild to moderate increased cholesterol levels (hypercholesterolemia) were placed on a diet designed to reduce the level of LDL for 12 weeks. The diet, called the Step I diet, consisted of 30 percent fat, 55 percent carbohydrate, 15 percent protein and not more than 300mg of dietary cholesterol. Following the initial treatment with the diet, half of the patients received either Metamucil (1 teaspoon three times a day) or a placebo (an inert biological material as a control) for an eight-week period. Psyllium did not affect blood pressure or levels of high-density lipoprotein (a positive sign) but did produce an additional reduction of total cholesterol by 4.8 percent, of LDL cholesterol level compared with the control population by 8 percent, and of apolipoprotein B level by 8.8 percent. Adherence to the diet was reported to be excellent, and no side effects were noted. The experiment indicated that psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid is an effective and welcome adjunct to the reduction of cholesterol levels and LDL in mild to moderate cases of hypercholesterolemia.

Research, Prevention, Control, Low-cholesterol diet, Low cholesterol diet

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Cholesterol-lowering effects of soluble-fiber cereals as part of a prudent diet for patients with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia

Article Abstract:

Elevated blood levels of low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) have been shown to be a major risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease. Soluble dietary fiber has been shown to have lipid-lowering properties. Therefore, a study was conducted to examine the cholesterol-lowering ability of soluble-fiber breakfast cereals. Fifty-eight male patients with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia (elevated blood cholesterol) were placed on a six-week diet containing 30 percent total energy as fat, 55 percent as carbohydrate, 15 percent as protein, and less than 300 milligrams dietary cholesterol per day. After the initial six-week period, patients were randomly assigned to placebo (corn flakes), pectin-enriched cereal, or psyllium-enriched cereal for an additional six weeks. During the first six-week diet phase, total cholesterol dropped 3.8 percent. Total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol values for the pectin-enriched cereal group decreased an additional 2.1 and 3.9 percent, respectively. However, these effects were not statistically significantly when compared with the levels of the placebo group. Total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels for the psyllium-enriched group decreased 9.2 and 9.7 percent, respectively. During the cereal-plus-diet phase, there were no significant effects on levels of low-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglyceride, or body weight. The findings indicate that soluble-fiber cereals may be part of an effective diet in the treatment of mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Breakfast cereals, Enriched foods, Grain products, Enriched cereal products

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